The Masquerade
by pendragon-alchemist
Summary: Uther plans for Arthur to marry and decides to throw a masquerade in celebration of the occasion. However when Arthur's disappearance coincides with Morgana's scheming to take over Camelot, a fight will ensue that may destroy Camelot once and for all.
1. The Prologue

**Hey Everyone! This is what happens when my friends want me to tell them a story. They liked it so much, they suggested I post it, so why not? We'll see whether you guys enjoy it :p I'm not the BBC, so yes, I do not own Merlin.**

**Summary: Arthur is being forced to marry Lady Evelyn, and Uther decides to throw a Masquerade in celebration of the occasion. Yet Arthur decides to leave Camelot. What will Merlin do when he finds out the prince is gone? More importantly, what will Uther do? And what is Morgana scheming in all of this? There are no pairings yet, although there are some implied later on in the story. You guys will just have to keep tuning in to see who ends up with whom XD  
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Camelot was rejoicing, as the preparations for an upcoming celebration had begun. King Uther had issues a declaration. In it, he stated that his only son and heir to the throne, Prince Arthur of Camelot, had chosen a bride. It had been ages since they had a princess to adore, and although Lady Morgana filled the role temporarily, the people of Camelot awaited the day when they would once again have a Queen sit next to the throne of Camelot. More importantly, they looked forward to having another heir to the throne.

Uther had chosen Lady Evelyn as his bride. A nobleman's daughter, she was everything that was respectable in a lady: beautiful, smart, and kind.

To celebrate the occasion, Uther had decided to throw a masquerade ball for all the members of the court. It was to be a joyous occasion where the king would officially present the prince and future princess to Camelot.

However, Prince Arthur was not happy with the arrangement. Although the girl was nice, she was just that; a girl. Arthur hated to admit it, but at heart he was a romantic. This girl lacked the connection he needed in a bride.

Night had fallen over Camelot, and Arthur didn't know what to do. He paced around his room, thinking of ways to confront Uther and tell him the truth. Yet the fact was, the more he thought about it, the more he realized there was no way that the king would understand. Arthur realized that he had no choice. The next day was the day of the masquerade. He could not stand in front of the court and accept Uther's decision.

Arthur looked out of window and realized, he only had one choice. He had to leave Camelot. He left a note on his bed, and he snuck out to the stable. There, he took his most trusted steed and left.

No one saw him leave, except Lady Morgana. She had been watching silently in the night, as she caught sight of her brother and his horse racing out of the gates. She returned to her roomand smiled wickedly. If he broke his engagement, Uther would be most displeased. If Uther was displeased with Arthur, then the greater the chances that she would become Queen of Camelot.

* * *

Dawn came, and with that, Merlin as well. It was time to wake the prince, so he headed over to Arthur's room, as was the daily routine. He sometimes hated being a servant.

He knocked on Arthur's door. The prince needed to be up and help with the preparations. Today was no morning to sleep in. After a while though, no one answered, so Merlin just barged in.

"GOOD MORNING SLEEPYHEAD! WAKEY WAKEY!"

There was no one in the room. Merlin looked at the untouched bed, and saw a note. It was sealed, yet instead of having Uther's name on it, it had Merlin's. The servant opened the note. It read:

_Merlin,_

_Sorry for this inconvenience. I have left Camelot. Do not mention my absence to my father. Just tell him I have left in search of a gift for Lady Evelyn, that will keep him satisfied._

_Sincerely,_

_Arthur_

Merlin crumpled up the note. "Stupid prat...ignoring that I may get in trouble...only thinking of himself..."

The door opened, making the servant jump. He turned around, and realized that Uther had decided to come in and check on the Prince himself.

"Where's Arthur?"

Merlin was suddenly afraid. He swallowed hard.

"Arthur…erm…He's gone sire."

"Gone where?"

Uther's gaze was stern. Merlin felt sick imagining all the ways Uther could punish him for what had occurred. Merlin feared for his life. If Uther realized that Arthur wouldn't come back-

"He went to find a gift."

"Find a gift?"

"Yes sire. Left early morn' to find a gift for Lady Evelyn."

"Did he say where to?"

Merlin gulped. Where the hell would he be gone that would take him all day, if not longer possibly? "Err…I think he said he might have gone out to the villages. He wanted to find something especial, hence why he left so early."

Uther looked too calm. As if he was secretly planning ways for Merlin to be tortured. He did not like that expression in the least bit. Uther's lips curled in excitement, making Merlin flinch.

"Wonderful news!" Uther said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. "This means that he has finally warmed up to Lady Evelyn! Let me know when he returns, understood?"

Merlin nodded, unable to speak, and Uther left the room. The moment the door closed, Merlin collapsed on the bed. He was safe…for now. He swore, Arthur was going to pay for all this trouble he was putting him though.

* * *

**What will Merlin do? He only has a couple of hours to find Arthur before the masquerade, and if he doesn't, who knows what will happen to our favorite young warlock? And what is Morgana going to do? That little witch... **

**The reviews will determine when and if I update, so please, if you read it and are somewhat intrigued, drop me a word :D **

**~Pendragon Alchemist~**


	2. Planning

**Hey Everyone! quick update. I have a lot of work, so chances are I may not get to updating in a while, but thanks to all of you who read this/commented. It made my day!**

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Morgana moved quickly through the town, looking for Morgause. She could only leave the palace for a few moments, but she needed to see her sister. These news could potentially bring their plan to fruition.

Morgause was standing towards the edge of the market. She was disguised, and Morgana doubted that anyone would recognize her. The meeting was risky, but they had no other choice.

Morgause saw her sister approach and smiled. "This better be important sister. If Uther discovers-"

"Uther has more pressing issues to attend to." Morgana smiled. "Arthur has left Camelot."

"How can you be sure?" Morgause was most definitely intrigued. This meeting was certainly worth the risk.

"I saw him leave last night. Merlin told Uther that Arthur had left to get Lady Evelyn a gift. "

"Do you believe that?"

"Of course not. Arthur doesn't love Lady Evelyn. He has just ran off because he is too much of a coward to face Uther."

Morgause liked the sound of this. She grabbed her sister's hand and gave her a small round jewel. "Then tonight we strike. When the ball begins to shine, you will see what you need to do."

"What if Arthur returns?" Morgana asked.

"I will make sure that he doesn't." Morgause pulled her hood closer to her face and began to walk away. Within seconds, she had been lost in the crowd. Morgana clutched the jewel, and smiled. Tonight Uther Pendragon would pay for his crimes, and with the morning sun, she would be crowned queen of Camelot.

* * *

The day passed slowly for Merlin, as he kept thinking of what he was going to do. He thought of chasing after Arthur, but he had no idea where the prince was headed.

He walked into his home, exhausted, only to find Gaius standing there, his arms crossed. _Great_, Merlin thought. _Another angry old-_

"Where have you been all day?"

Merlin debated whether to tell Gaius the truth, or to keep quiet. However, Merlin had run out of ideas, so he decided to simply spill the truth. After all, what was the worse that could happen?

"Arthur left Camelot."

"He what?"

"He left Camelot," the boy repeated. Seriously. Was his life destined for suffering? "He just left a note, and to be honest, I don't think that he'll be back in time for the masquerade."

Gaius looked at Merlin in disbelief. "Does Uther know?"

"Of course not. If Uther knew, you think I'd be here, talking to you about it? He'd probably have made me the main course at the banquet tonight."

Gaius just gave Merlin a glare. "I know. Not the time to make a joke, was it?"

"You are going to have to find Arthur before tonight." Gaius sat down. He was getting too old for this.

"I know that. The question is how? Arthur could have left in any direction, and he has more than half a day's head start on me. Chances are I could never catch up to him on time."

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" It was Gwen's voice. Merlin and Gaius looked at each other for a second. Might as well let the girl in, Gaius thought, since after all, there was no way for them to solve this problem on their own.

"Yes, come in."

Gwen entered and immediately sensed the tension between the two men.

"Something happened?"

"You can say that." Merlin answered.

* * *

Gwen was left speechless by the time that Merlin was done talking. They were in serious trouble. Finally, the girl regained her voice.

"You know, Arthur doesn't have to come back by tonight."

"Of course! It is a masquerade party. No one will recognize anyone!" Gaius stated.

"Besides, Lady Evelyn barely eve knows Arthur. She could spend the entire night dancing with some stranger, and she would not have the slightest clue as to whether he is Arthur or not."

Gwen pulled out a couple of fabrics that she had in the basket she had been carrying. "I can make a quick costume, and I'm sure you can take some of Arthur's finest clothes from his closet and no one will question you."

Merlin nodded, and was about to leave, when Gaius stopped him. "Who are we going to convince to dress up like the prince?"

Merlin looked a bit scared for a second, but quickly enough came up with a plan.

"Leave that to me."

* * *

**There you go! So Merlin and Gwen have a plan, but how will it work? And what the heck is Morgause planning? Stay tuned!**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	3. The Masquerade Begins

**Hey Everyone! Another week, another chapter. Thanks for everyone who read, although please drop in reviews to tell me how I'm doing. Otherwise, enjoy :D**

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The man had traveled far to get to Camelot. His horse was weary from the riding, but he had no choice. He had managed to escape his captor, and after stealing one of the horses, he began his journey. Arriving to Camelot had been a challenge, but now that he was here-

The man stopped, as he saw that all the men and women were dressed in costumes and walking towards the castle. This was bad. With all the people around, someone would easily spot him. Unless…

The man hid behind some bushes. He hated resorting to this, but he needed to talk to Prince Arthur. He waited patiently, until finally, a man clueless enough passed by. With a swift move, he knocked the stranger unconscious.

The costume was a bit colorful, but it would do. He took the invitation, and changed into the stranger's clothes. He looked towards Camelot, and began to ride once again. He had to talk to the Prince.

* * *

Soon enough, the masquerade got underway. Guests from the noble houses had traveled from far to celebrate the news of Prince Arthur's engagement.

Inside the castle was a sea of colors. The ladies wore dresses of the finest silk, while the men wore costumes that matched their partner's. One could hardly tell who was who.

On the throne, Uther sat, laughing and drinking, with Lady Morgana at his side. She looked beautiful, and had caught the eye of more than one man in the room, yet she paid them no attention. She just laughed at his father's every word.

On Uther's right, was Arthur's seat, which was now empty. Next to that was the seat where Lady Evelyn sat. She seemed worried that Arthur was still not here, but Uther reassured her that he would arrive soon. Morgana smiled inwardly. She knew that Arthur would not be arriving to this party.

On the other side of the room, Gaius and Gwen sat watching intently.

"Where is Merlin? He should be here by now."

Gaius sighed. "I don't like the sound of this. Thank goodness Uther is much too preoccupied with his drink to notice."

"I don't like this. Arthur is not the kind of man to have left Camelot for good. From what Merlin said about the note, it sounded like he was only temporarily gone, and would have been back to confront Uther by now." The girl crossed her arms, and leaned on the wall behind her. She was worried, and Gaius saw that.

"Whatever happened, Arthur is a good fighter. No man can defeat him."

"Missed me?"

Gwen and Gaius jumped as they saw Merlin come in from behind.

"Where were you?" Gwen tried to keep her voice to a whisper, but her anger showed a bit too much.

"Around. I just had to make the final touches." Merlin had that goofy smile on him that meant he was up to no good. At that point, the doors opened, and a royal announcer walked in. A couple of men played the horns, and then, the man addressed the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Presenting Prince Arthur!"

In came "the Prince", dressed in the costume that Gwen had made. It was perfect, in that it covered his head entirely. The man clearly did a good job impersonating Arthur, as Uther immediately got up and gave his "son" a hug. The impersonator then moved to see Lady Evelyn, and kissed her hand.

Gwen and Gaius chuckled slightly. Where had Merlin gotten this guy from?

"Looks like this guy is doing a better job than Arthur at playing prince charming," she laughed.

"It's Gwaine," he said softly, so only she could hear. "He is loyal enough to Arthur as to pretend to be him for the time being."

"How did you find him?"

"I know the bar he frequents. Also, he wasn't that far from Camelot, so it didn't take long to get him and bring him back."

Gwen couldn't believe it, and began to laugh after the party resumed. Merlin couldn't hold it in either. They had been lucky to find Gwaine in that short notice. Also, they had been lucky that this was a masquerade, and people would not be able to see his face.

Gwen smiled and looked at Merlin, "Looks like your problem is solved for tonight."

However, both of them failed to notice Morgana. Had they looked in her direction, they would have seen the anger and disbelief brewing inside her eyes.

* * *

A couple minutes had passed, and Merlin had left to go get a pint. Gaius followed soon after, needing to check on Uther's health before the king drank himself into trouble. Gwen was standing by herself, when she heard someone behind her. He grabbed her arm, and she turned around, ready to hit the man, but stopped when she saw her face.

"Lancelot?" the disbelief was evident in her voice. He nodded, and pulled his mask back up.

"I need to talk to Arthur. Can Merlin get him to come here?"

Gwen doubted whether she should tell him, but then remembered how loyal he had been in the past. Lancelot looked shocked by the answer.

"Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"May a gentleman ask a lady for the next dance?"

Gwen blushed, confused. She didn't understand what was happening, but realized that she couldn't deny the request. Something about Lancelot still made her feel weak inside. She looked around for Merlin, but he was nowhere to be found. She looked back at Lancelot, who still held out his hand. She could only nod in response. Her heart was pounding against her chest as he took her to the dance floor.

Yet she could see from the determination in his eyes that he had asked her for a dance so they would have an excuse to move around the room without him looking suspicious while searching for Merlin. She sighed in disappointment.

Lancelot caught sight of this and smiled at her reassuringly. It was almost as if he could read her mind. "Don't worry m'lady. Dancing with you is a dream come true for me."

* * *

Merlin was about to make his way back to where he and Gwen had been, but saw her talking to someone. At first he couldn't tell who it was, but soon he realized that the man was none other than Lancelot himself. He decided to stay behind, see where this would lead, and soon enough, the couple walked to the dance floor.

He looked towards the couple and realized that they weren't the only ones dancing. Gwaine had taken Lady Evelyn out on Uther's request. Merlin suddenly felt that his heart was heavy. Gwen and Lancelot, Gwaine and Evelyn, everyone had a couple. And here he was, alone.

For some reason, his mind returned to Freya. He missed her. He wished she hadn't died. He wished that he could have saved her in some form. He remembered her, flowing outwards to towards the mountains. He had forced himself to stop thinking about her, to make the pain go away, but in times like this, there was nothing he could do to stop that.

At that moment, there was a soft tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me," Merlin turned around and saw a girl standing behind him.

She didn't have an elaborate outfit, but she looked beautiful nonetheless.

"I don't have a dance partner, is it alright if I dance with you?"

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**So Arthur is still missing, and Lancelot has important news to tell him. As for Merlin, who is this strange girl who wants to dance with him all of the sudden? When am I going to give you some answers? Believe me (or rather, the people I wrote this story for originally) things are going to take an unexpected turn soon.  
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**So when am I gonna update? Wish I could tell you. I have the story written in terms of plot, but it is not very long, so I'm going back and having to expand a lot of what I already have. I'll try to get a chapter up soon, but it may be hard with thanksgiving. **

**Thanks for reading**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	4. Revelations

**Hello All! So since Thanksgiving is coming up, I decided to give you a little present by updating twice in a weekend. It will also make up for the fact that I will not be able to update for a while, with exams and breaks, and that sort of thing. So without further ado, I give you the rest of the masquerade!**

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Merlin looked at the girl, unsure on how to respond. Her smile was innocent, and her eyes were expecting. Merlin finally decided, why not? Everyone else was having fun tonight, maybe he should too.

The two of them walked out onto the dance floor. This girl was one of the prettier ones in the room. Her bright blond hair and blue eyes illuminated the room. Soon enough, they were twirling among the rest of the couples, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

It felt odd, but it seemed the only time when he could relax and have fun of any sort was when Arthur was gone. He wished that it were under better circumstances, but he would take any chance he got.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked him when she realized how distracted he looked. Merlin snapped out of his train thought and nodded. He couldn't understand why, but she seemed familiar, in an eerie sense. Merlin couldn't stop staring at her now. Where had he seen her before?

Before long, she had made him forget his troubles. The music had been intoxicating somehow. Merlin couldn't understand what was going on to be honest. It was as if his heart had been enchanted by this lovely mistress. He had been enjoying themselves far too much.

* * *

Morgana looked at the jewel given to her by Morgause, which she had placed in one of her bracelets. She had been impatient all night, wondering when the moment would be right for them to strike, but finally, the object had begun to glow faintly. She smiled. It meant the time was drawing nearer. She looked over at Uther, who was much too happy to observe Lady Evelyn dance the night away with her "Prince."

"My lord, it is getting late for you. Maybe you should make the toast now, before you are much too ill to address the court."

"Nonsense Morgana. I am fine."

"My lord, I'm sure of it, but you are not as young as you once were. I am just worried for your health. If you were to fall ill, what would happen to Camelot?"

Uther looked at his daughter and smiled. He loved how much she cared about him, and decided to give in to her request.

"Well then, if you insist," he raised his glass, and soon the court became silent. The audience was waiting for their King's announcement.

* * *

Merlin and the girl stopped with the rest of the crowd and turned to face the throne. Merlin saw that the girl was growing uncomfortable. He instinctively pulled her closer, as the king began to speak.

"Thank you friends, for coming tonight. As you know, tonight we celebrate the upcoming marriage of my son, Prince Arthur, to Lady Evelyn, daughter of Sir Hoel, one of my bravest knights and closest friends."

The crowd cheered, and Uther had to yell to calm them down. "Camelot has seen many kings, but something tells me, my successor will be unlike anything anyone has seen before. It is every king's dream to know that once he is gone, his country will be in good hands. "

By this point, Gwaine and Lady Evelyn had joined Uther again. Morgana smiled at the couple, but something about that smile sent a chilling feeling down Merlin's spine. He noticed that at that point, the girl was also growing anxious.

Unexpectedly, she looked up at him and whispered, "Do you mind if we leave?"

Merlin felt his heart stop for a second. Without knowing what he was doing, he let her grab his hand and lead him out of the grand room.

Soon enough, she was leading him down the castle passages towards the dungeons. Where were they going, he did not know, but for some reason, he trusted this girl. It was crazy, but something in his heart told him it was the right thing to do. The exited the castle, only to find that she had two horses waiting for him. Merlin recognized one of the horses as the horse that was missing from Arthur's stable since the morning.

"What's going on? Where are you taking me?" Merlin asked. Somehow, his mind was taking him to a place where he didn't want to go.

The girl smiled, and she leaned in, kissing Merlin. The young warlock was caught off guard by the sudden kiss, yet the kiss was so intoxicating that he felt himself giving in to her touch. When the two parted, the girl looked at him with the uttermost seriousness.

"Please, trust me. I'm taking you somewhere safe."

Merlin was still blushing from the kiss when the girl mounted the horse.

"I know you are in trouble. I know that if Uther finds out Arthur's missing-"

"How do you know that?"

"I'll explain in good time. But please. We must go before Uther finds out."

Merlin did not know what was going on, but decided to mount his horse and follow the girl. They began to sprint down the forests outside Camelot. The night was cold, but Merlin barely felt it. They were going so fast that Merlin thought they would reach the border soon.

Yet his mind couldn't help but wonder. This was a blonde, blue eyed girl, who had Arthur's horse...she had gotten into Camelot without problems and had been able to get him out as well without being noticed by guards. The way she was riding, he could tell that she was an expert horsewoman, and on her horse, he could see that she carried a sword.

The girl began to stop. They seemed to have reached their destination. They were in front of a dark cave. Merlin couldn't help himself, but as they left the horses behind, he looked at the sword more closely. The hilt had the seal of Camelot. The girl took the weapon, and fastened the belt around her waist.

Could it be that she was...no, that was silly. Merlin tried to push the thought out of his head, but somehow he couldn't. She could not be Arthur. That was impossible.

The more he thought about it though, the more it made sense. There was overwhelming evidence to prove it, but then, why did she kiss him? None of this made sense.

The girl stopped, and lit a torch before entering the cave. When she bent down to pick up the torch, Merlin realized that she had a necklace around her neck. It was the same one that Arthur always wore. He couldn't deal with this anymore. He had to confront her, but didn't know how. She took his hand, and led him inside the cave, but he was beginning to hesitate.

That must have been why she had left when she saw Morgana. Morgana probably had caused this onto him. Maybe she had done it to him, and then he…she was forced to leave Camelot until …it…could find a way to reverse the spell. But then, why return to Camelot? Or for that matter, why had she acted that way towards him? And why was it that he was feeling something in return. None of this made sense.

The torch was not as bright as he hoped, and they could only see a couple of feet in front of them. Merlin couldn't take this anymore and decided that he needed an answer. He had to ask the girl for the truth.

He stopped her, and she turned to face him.

"Look...I need to ask you something before we go further."

The girl seemed a bit worried. "What is it?" Her hand began to stroke his cheek which made him feel uncomfortable.

"Are you..." He couldn't bring himself to ask.

Was he beginning to fall in love with his master? No…preposterous. Arthur was a prat, a prick, a stuck up, good for nothing, pompous little prince who never cared about him. No amount of magic could change his personality to what this girl was…or maybe, too much magic would, which scared him.

"Yes?" She asked, trying to help him overcome his fear.

"Are...you Arthur?" He finally asked. The time which followed felt like years, the silence growing heavy around them.

"You idiot."

Merlin awoke from his gaze by the voice. It was...Arthur's? But before he could react, the girl had hit him in the head rather hard, and he had fallen to the ground.

The torch was now on the floor, and he finally saw the end of the cave, where the glistening metal caught his eye. There was Arthur, chained up against the wall.

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**So there you have it! Another chapter and a slight cliffhanger to keep you going through the next week :D Stay tuned and find out what will happen to Merlin and Arthur!**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	5. The Cave

**Allrighty, so I haven't updated in a while, but with finals it is a bit crazy. Hope everyone State side had a good Thanksgiving. I know I did. And for those of you in England, I'm incredibly jealous that you get to watch Merlin without delays. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, and thanks to those of you who read in silence. :D Anyways, I was going to make this chapter a bit longer, but I decided it might be better to have two updates relatively close as opposed to 1 update in a long time.**

Anyways, the story thus far: Morgana has gone mental, Merlin followed a strange pretty girl to a cave, and now he has a bump on the head. Enjoy!

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Morgana looked to her jewel, which had begun to glow brighter and brighter. She closed her eyes and heard her sister's thoughts, echoing in her mind. The time had come. She smiled and pulled the magical object back beneath the folds of her sleeve. She looked to Uther, who was now slumped over the chair.

"My lord, you don't look well."

She looked to him and held his hand and smiled at him sweetly. Uther could not help but smile back. Part of his heart warmed every time he saw his little girl look up to him like that. Except she wasn't little anymore. She was a woman, beautiful and smart beyond belief. Uther sometimes wondered why destiny had cursed him like this. His beloved wife couldn't bear him a child, and when she finally did, she died and left him with a void in his heart. Then with Morgana, she could never know the truth of her parentage. No one could ever know that she was his child, regardless of how much he wanted his kingdom to see how proud he was of his little girl.

"Uther?"

Uther realized that Morgana was still looking at him with a worried glance. "You feeling alright?"

"I- I believe so. I was just caught in a train of thought-"

Morgana looked at Uther and smiled. "And what would that be?"

"It's just- my mind wonders where the time has gone. Arthur is getting married. And you, you who are dear like a child to me, have grown up to become a beautiful woman."

"My lord, you are making me blush."

"It is the truth my child," Uther pulled a couple of strands of hair away from her face.

"I think it is time for us to retire. You have had too much to drink."

Uther finished drinking his cup and nodded. "I guess I can leave the party to these young kids, can't I?"

Lady Morgana got up, and took his arm. Uther looked at her and got up. The crowd suddenly stopped, and Uther bid them farewell, before leaving, with Morgana by his side.

* * *

Merlin's mind went to black for a few seconds after the blow. It was a bright light that brought him back to life. He looked up, and saw the blond girl standing before him. He remembered her, the girl who had brought him to this place. The light was coming from the sword, which she had taken off the belt and struck to the ground. It created this blue wall of light between him and the exit. The woman was on the other side of the light, which was suddenly enveloping her.

The disguise wore off. The innocent girl with whom Merlin had spent the night with was no longer there. She had been replaced instead by Morgause, dressed in full body armor.

"Morgause…" he said weakly, as he looked at the woman. He felt fooled, betrayed almost. How had he not seen through the disguise? How had he believed her?

She looked at him, with that evil grin in her face. "The old king will be dead tonight. Long live the Queen." She took off Arthur's necklace and threw it on the ground. "Unfortunately things have come up and I won't be able to spend as much time with you as I hopped. I guess I'll just have to assume that you'll be dead by morning. Until then, enjoy your last night together...lovers." Morgause gave Merlin one last glare before racing out of the cave.

The young warlock felt rather sick from the blow, but slowly his head had stopped spinning. At that moment, he remembered the fact that he was not alone in the cave. With trouble, he turned around and noticed Arthur, who was just staring at him with an annoyed face.

"ARTHUR!"

"You idiot." The Prince responded nonchalantly, as if they were still within Camelot's walls, just arguing about polishing his armor.

Merlin's eyes had adjusted to the light, and now he saw in what shape Arthur was in. His body looked beaten, as though he had been in a fight. There was dried blood on his face.

"You Stupid idiot! How the hell could you believe that she was me?"

Merlin and Arthur looked at each other for a couple of seconds, before either said a word. Merlin tried to get up with difficulty.

"Seriously Merlin. Why would she be me?"

"Well, I don't know! Because she was blonde? She had blue eyes? She had YOUR horse? And YOUR necklace?"

"Both of which she STOLE from me," Arthur looked most displeased.

Merlin rubbed his forehead slightly. He knew that there was a bump growing already where Morgause had hit him. He did not know what to answer.

"Seriously. Assuming that I do get kidnapped by some magical being of some sort, considering that is what is most abundant in the lands beyond Camelot, you immediately assume that they would turn me into a girl?"

"It would be an original twist, wouldn't it?" Merlin asked, trying to sound cheery.

Arthur just groaned. Of all the people to be trapped with, it had to be his slightly delusional serv- He stopped as he realized that something had fallen out of Merlin's pocket when he had been knocked to the ground. "What's that at your feet?"

"I don't really…" Merlin drifted off as he picked it up. It was an amulet of some sort and it had several symbols. "It's magic."

"How would you know?"

"Gaius showed me these symbols once. They are markers of the old religion."

"Makes sense. Morgause is a priestess after all. Any clue what they do?"

"Wh-why would I know something like that? I mean the only way for me to know something of that nature would be for me to practice the old religion, but that would be silly. We all know no one practices it in Camelot since Uther banned the decree, except Morgause. But she doesn't really count does she? I mean she is an enemy of Camelot, so she I guess justifies-"

"Merlin, when Gaius showed you the symbols, did he say what they represented?" Merlin felt shocked for a second. Arthur was truly seeking his advice. This didn't happen often.

"I-" Merlin began to analyze the object closely. It looked like the symbols were…a love spell? "That would make sense."

"What would?"

"I think Gaius said these are love spell symbols, which would explain why I trusted Morgause."

"Blame it on the amulet," Arthur scoffed.

"Don't you want to get out of this place? Because last time I checked, you were trapped, and I was not."

Arthur just sighed. Merlin was right. Whatever was going on, they needed to get back to Camelot, and soon. "Let's get out of here..."

"Agreed," Merlin got up and went over to where Arthur was being chained. "How am I supposed to get you out of these again?"

"My other sword is still on my belt. I just can't reach it. Take it, and hit the chain."

Merlin looked at the sword in a bit of disbelief. The chains weren't that big, but he wasn't sure whether they could break the chains themselves with the sword. Merlin considered using magic, but at this proximity, Arthur would notice.

Merlin took the sword with his hands and held it up. The weapon was heavy, but he could swing it just fine. He was about to deliver the blow, when Arthur interrupted him.

"You're holding it all wrong. You won't get any power out of it."

"How do you expect me to hold it?"

"Have you seen me train at all?"

"Every time we train, I am carrying a shield to protect myself so I don't get killed, so no, I don't see you train." Merlin crossed his arms in frustration. Even when he was held prisoner, the Prince was still a prat.

"Alright," Arthur sighed. "Just...swing with all your force." Arthur had a look of resignation in his face that made Merlin smile. Finally he was getting the upper hand he deserved.

Merlin took the sword once again, gathered his strength and struck at the chains. He heard metal break, and smiled. Yet when he opened his eyes, he saw that the sword itself was broken, not the chain.

"Should I be surprised?"

"But...I..."

"You closed your eyes MERLIN! At this rate we're going to die here."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I wasn't the one who got captured by Morgause and chained up to the wall!"

"No, you were the one who WILLINGLY followed her..."

"Because I thought she was-" Merlin stopped himself. "Never mind. I'll go look for a second exit strategy."

* * *

Morgana and Uther had reached his chambers, but the king was stubborn.

"I told you I was fine Morgana."

"I know sir, but I still can't have you feeling ill tomorrow morning can I? Drink this." She said, giving him a goblet.

"What's in it?"

Morgana smiled as she asked Uther to sit down. "Just a remedy that Gaius gave me. He said it would help you feel better. That way you'll wake up tomorrow morning, and feel perfectly fine."

Uther took the cup and drank down the liquid. It tasted sweet to the touch, but suddenly, it turned into a burning sensation that was destroying his throat. Within seconds, Uther was on the ground, unconscious. Morgana took the jewel from her sleeve and held onto it tightly. It was now glowing brighter than ever.

"The deed is done my sister," Morgana said aloud as her eyes became lost in the glowing fire within the jewel.

"Good sister, because our attack on Camelot is about to commence."

* * *

**Great. So Morgause is heading for Camelot, Morgana has done something to Uther, and Merlin and Arthur are still trapped in the cave. Can things get any worse? Oh believe me. *evil laughter* Stay tuned for another episode. Until then,  
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**Love and Peace!  
~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	6. The Warlock and the Knight

**Hello All!**

**So, been having issues with , and I couldn't upload this yesterday. Anyways, thank you those who reviewed, you made my day. Also thanks to those who are still reading this, and if you get a chance, drop a word. With exams, who knows when I'll be able to write again, so I leave you with this chapter. Enjoy!**

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**The masquerade continued, and the guests still rejoiced after their king had left. After all, they had no way of suspecting that something wrong was afoot. The crowds kept dancing, frolicking, drinking and having a merry time.

Gwaine thanked heavens that Lady Evelyn had apparently only met Arthur once or twice, and with the amount of drink that Uther had made her consume, it was clear that there was no way that she would have been able to tell the difference, whether sober or not. Although he regretted greatly accepting Merlin's request Arthur had saved his skin more than once, and he was one of the few men that he would follow to the ends of the earth and back.

Gwaine realized that Gwen had been dancing with some stranger for some time, which irritated him to some degree. He knew how Arthur felt about her, and from what Merlin had said, she loved him just as much. Yet from the looks of this, one could not really tell.

Gwaine looked a bit surprised when both Gwen and her new partner begun to approach him. That was strange. He assumed that Merlin had told Gwen about his identity, but why would this man know? Still, Gwaine though, better be safe than sorry, as he placed his hand on the hilt. He didn't want to know the ruckus that would ensue if someone were to find out his true identity, or worse, tell Uther that Arthur was missing. In worse case scenario, he could have the man arrested for treason if the stranger decided to reveal his identity. By the time the guards found out that the stranger was in fact correct, the man would be in the dungeons, and Gwaine would be long gone.

Regardless of this man's intent though, Gwaine knew that this sham couldn't last forever. He hoped to god that Arthur would be back by sunrise, before Uther awoke from the hangover which most likely awaited him.

* * *

Lancelot looked at Gwen, and she assured him that Gwaine could be trusted. At least that was what Merlin had said. However, that was enough for Lancelot. Merlin was his friend, and if he trusted this…Gwaine, then he would too. When they finally reached "the prince," it was Lancelot who addressed the couple.

"Your majesty, Lady Evelyn," he gave them a small bow, which they acknowledged.

"I'm afraid that your father sends me Lady Evelyn."

"Why? Something wrong?"

"No, he just wishes to speak to you."

Lady Evelyn looked towards "Arthur" and gave a small bow before asking if she could leave temporarily. Gwaine, not really sure of what was going on, allowed her to go. With Lady Evelyn gone, he could confront this newcomer without having to worry about being charming, or civil for that matter.

Lancelot waited until the girl was out of sight before speaking. "Merlin is missing."

The comment took Gwaine by surprise. "Missing? But he was just here a bit ago, dancing with some girl."

"Well, clearly he is not here anymore," Gwen said, attempting to stop the fighting between the men from escalating. This was not the time to have a fight about who was more loyal to the Prince than whom.

"I guess I could help you look. This feast is almost over with anyways. Uther has retired to his chambers, so he won't notice if-"

But Gwaine did not have the chance to finish his sentence. At once, a gust of wind had blown all the lights away, and the stained glass windows broke. Both Lancelot and Gwaine drew their swords, but they could see nothing in the darkness. Slowly, a faint blue light began to glow, and the two warriors saw their adversary, dressed in a black armor, with flowing blonde hair.

"What a pity that no one invited me to your party," Morgause smiled, before her eyes began to glow golden.

* * *

Merlin continued to look around, but to no avail. There was only one exit to the cave, and said exit had been blocked off by Morgause. As for the chains, they had been sealed with magic, and there were no weapons in the cave, except the sword that created the boundary to their prison. Merlin began to wonder whether he should just break the chains with magic. However, if he did so, Arthur would know his secret.

"Any luck?" asked Arthur.

"If I had any, we'd be out of here by now."

Arthur sighed, before looking at the boundary. "Have you tried picking up that sword?"

"Are you crazy? That sword has some sort of powerful spell on it. Who knows what will happen if I touch it?"

"Well, there is one way to find out." Arthur said in a tone which scared Merlin.

"Are you suggesting that I risk my life and try to pull that sword?"

"Merlin. We have no food and no water. The only reason we are still alive is because Morgause clearly believes that will be stuck here forever, which means that she is planning on keeping me alive only long enough to see what she does to Camelot."

Merlin looked at Arthur with worry. Usually, he would have said something like that with a condescending tone only to annoy Merlin, to which the young warlock would have responded with an insult of some sort. Not this time. Arthur felt conflicted. In one sense, he felt genuinely defeated and condemned to see the thing that was most precious to him, his people, fall. Silence filled the cave, and for what seemed like hours, neither man spoke. Merlin looked towards the blue energy that blocked their exit. He sighed, before getting up from the spot where he had been sitting.

"Merlin, what are you doing?"

"What you asked, sire. If I die then you'll just be left without a manservant. If you die however, Camelot will be lost."

Before Arthur could stop him, Merlin reached out for the sword. The light grew overwhelming, and a shockwave pushed the young warlock back. He crashed onto the ground once more.

Arthur was blinded by a few seconds. His sight returned slowly, but what he saw scared him. The barrier stood, unchanged, with the sword still standing. Merlin had been pushed some twenty feet back, and was know lying on the ground, not moving.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked softly, afraid of disrupting the silence that now plagued the cave. There was no answer. "MERLIN!" His voice echoed in the emptiness of the cave. His stomach suddenly felt sick. No…it couldn't be. His vision was becoming clouded by the tears that were forming in his eyes. After all that had happened, Merlin had become more than a servant. He was his friend. No, that was a lie. Merlin had become his best friend. "MERLIN!"

"Could you keep it down? I was trying to rest," the boy said, slowly coming to. He looked at Arthur, and was surprised by the state the man was in.

"Merlin! Don't scare me like that, you idiot."

"Didn't I ask for you to keep it down, dollophead?" Merlin tried to sit up. So many blows to the head in one day could not be good. He would have to ask Gaius about this afterwards. "So the sword thing didn't work, huh?"

"You think?" and like that, Arthur had returned to his old, prat self. It made Merlin feel safer somehow, as if they were going to be able to get out.

"She must have planted a strong magical boundary on that sword."

"Really? Why thank you for the information, Merlin." Arthur attempted to free his hands from the chains again, knowing that it was futile. "So not only am I chained up to the wall and trapped in a cave with no hope of escaping, but I'm trapped with my idiotic manservant for eternity? Oh wait, let me correct that, for however long it takes us to die from dehydration. Great."

"Better than marrying Lady Evelyn. Or being killed by Uther for not marrying Lady Evelyn," Merlin joked.

Arthur gave a slight laugh. "I guess this is all my fault. If I hadn't left in the first place."

"Well, where did you go? Were you going to leave Camelot forever?"

"No, I just, needed some time alone to think. I was going to be back by the feast if Morgause hadn't found me first." Arthur sighed. "It's not that I don't want to marry her. She's a sweet girl. Heck, most men would be fools for not accepting the hand of a girl like Lady Evelyn."

"Then why not? Is it because of the way you feel about Gwen?"

"I wish that were the whole answer. Yes, part of it is me being in love with Gwen, but both she and I know that if necessary, I will take another to be wife if it is for the best of Camelot. After all, I am Caemlot's future king, and the happiness of my kingdom lies above my own." Merlin looked at Arthur. It was rare for him to be so open.

"Camelot needs a queen, someone who is ready to guide her people-"

"One who can guide you in the time of need?" Merlin asked.

"Yes. I'm sure Lady Evelyn would rise to the challenge, but she's just a child, Merlin. This is not her choice. Her father just probably told her how strategic a marriage to someone of my stature would be, and unfortunately, not many people would reject a chance to marry into royalty. She can't see past the glamour of the court. She's too young to understand what is being asked of her. Heck, at times I don't understand what is being asked of me as a prince, and I've been raised my entire life with the idea that one day I will rule this land. Neither one of us is ready for marriage. I left because I needed to figure out a way to explain that to my father."

"You're right. Uther would have had your head after the first sentence."

"I left because I needed to think things through. Apparently, that didn't work out too well, did it? Now not only will we never get out, but Camelot will be destroyed."

"Arthur," Merlin paused, almost afraid to continue. "What if I could get us out of here?"

Arthur looked at Merlin. "How? Even if the chains are broken, there is still that magic barrier. You already proved that we can't get through."

The young warlock smirked. "I can get us out. I just have to know that what you want the most in the entire world is to get out, and would do anything to do so."

"Merlin, my people out there are about to _die_ by Morgause's hand! What is worse, Morgana is in legions with her. My father does not have a way to know until it is too late, and by the time they realize what is happening, Camelot will be in ruins! Of course I want to get out."

Merlin lifted his hand and chanted a spell. His eyes flashed golden, and the chains turned red before shattering. Arthur fell onto the floor, free of his imprisonment. Arthur rubbed his wrists and looked at Merlin, realizing what had just happened.

"You...you..."

"Just saved your life?'

"You condemned yourself to death for using magic."

"Well, between dying in here, with you whining about not being able to do anything while Camelot was destroyed, and dying by Uther's hand, knowing that Camelot will have a good king in the future, I choose Uther."

"You idiot," Arthur said with a smile and patted Merlin on the back. "Thank you." He said softly, before hugging the young warlock. Arthur tried to conceal his disbelief, which had made him come out harsher than he meant. He couldn't believe it. Merlin was a warlock. It seemed so strange, but somehow it felt right. Suddenly though, his train of thought was broken. He looked back to the barrier that prevented them from leaving. "Can you… break through that?"

Merlin shook his head, "I tried when I attempted to get the sword, but I couldn't break the spell. I do not know that type of dark magic. However, I know someone who does." Merlin closed his eyes, before beginning to chant in old English. The great dragon was on his way.

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN! Arthur knows Merlin's secret, and is taking it surprisingly well, although this may be mostly because he's still in denial. Still, the great dragon is on his way, undoubtedly with some of his great wisdom. More importantly, Morgause's plan is in action. Little does she know however that two of Camelot's finest are amongst the guests, ready to fight. Either way, sounds like next chapter will be exciting, so stay tuned!  
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**Peace**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
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	7. The Great Dragon and The Sword

**I know I haven't updated in a while...sorry. I got really sick. Thanks to all who reviewed/read, and thus, I'm giving you a special treat of a longer chapter! Special thanks to my own personal Merlin, Uther and Gwen, who made me a gingerbread Camelot, which got me through writing this :D Enjoy Camelot, under siege, again...  
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Panic. Chaos. Fear. The screams were sweet sounds to her ears. She just wished that Uther could be seeing this, but that would not happen, for Uther was destined to never wake up again, if Morgana did the deed right. Morgause looked as the guests. The once merry members of the court were now afraid for their lives. More importantly, she looked to her babies, her beautiful chimeras, as they attacked the castle.

Morgause didn't trust men. Men were fickle, and even a loyal army would be mortal. These, these were beasts, created through magic, whose sole purpose in life was to kill anything within sight. She was their mother, as she had been the one who had created them, and as such, they obeyed to her and her alone.

The monsters raced down the hallways, ripping into flesh whenever they could with their fangs and claws. Blood splattered on the walls, and the injured tried to run to the room where Gaius had set up his hospital before it was too late.

Morgause felt her sister communicating through the jewel and smiled. The plan was working perfectly. Uther was down, and soon enough, Camelot would be theirs.

A sound interrupted her thoughts, and Morgause was forced to turn. Her beasts were falling, dying one by one to a line of red capes and chain mail pointing their swords. Camelot's finest had finally arrived.

Sir Leon was leading the charge. The phalanx formation marched slowly towards the monsters that were terrorizing the castle. Their shields fell into perfect formation, and their swords were sticking out, ready to stab the beasts. They knew there wasn't much they could do against these beings of magic, but at least they could protect the castle the best they knew how.

The chimeras lashed at the knights, and Sir Leon yelled for them to push. A couple of beasts fell, but the ballroom was still inundated with endless chimeras, which had begun to roam throughout the rest of the castle. They continued to push forward, slowly but surely, before Sir Leon felt the pressure become too much in the front row. There were legs pushing their way through the phalanx, and a couple of the flying chimeras were attacking from above. They were outnumbered, and the Knights of Camelot began to fall back.

One of the beasts had knocked one of the candle holders, igniting the curtains which adorned the room. This place was becoming a death trap, and the knights knew it. That was when the men in the back row began to be attacked. Their claws tore right through the metal and into the flesh, and Leon heard the scream of his men before cursing under his breath. Camelot had been in many tight spots, but never one quite like this, and to be frank, he wasn't sure how they were going to get out. Orders had been sent to evacuate the citadel, but Leon feared it was too late. Uther hadn't reacted quickly enough, and usually in a situation like this, Arthur would take command. Leon had however realized during the masquerade of Arthur's absence. Knowing that Camelot was left without a chain of command, he and the knights started to lead the battle.

The men in the back of the phalanx were rapidly falling, and even though Leon gave the orders to retreat, he knew that it was useless. The knights were surrounded, and one by one, they were falling victim to Morgause's attack.

Without warning though, he felt the line of men behind him begin to back up. One of the knights in the back line yelled retreat, which meant that they were advancing backwards. That seemed like a miracle. The men retreated, and as soon as they had passed the two large wooden doors, two men closed them shut and barricaded them.

"It won't hold them for long. If that woman has magic, she can easily open them," said Gwaine, as he wiped the blood of his sword.

"You were the ones who covered our backs?" asked Leon, as the knights suddenly began to move, attempting to buy them as much time as possible.

"Yes," Lancelot answered. "Where are they going?"

"The staircases. The narrow nature of the towers will force the beasts to attack one of at the time," Leon answered. "I must reach the king; see to it that he's alright."

Gwaine and Lancelot nodded. "I'll go with the knights. They'll need reinforcement." Leon nodded, and Gwaine ran off in the direction that the knights have left.

Lancelot looked at Leon. "You are going to need help if you want to make it to Uther." The knight nodded in acceptance, and the two began to make their way up the tower.

* * *

While they waited, Arthur remained silent. Merlin was worried about him, and what was going through his head. It was bad enough that Camelot was being attacked, but in addition, Merlin had revealed to him his greatest secret. Arthur had seemingly accepted it, except now he was lost in thought. Merlin wanted to break the silence. After all, he had yet to tell Arthur exactly who was on their way to rescue them. Thankfully for Merlin, it was Arthur who spoke first.

"Why did you keep it secret?" Arthur asked, as he ran his fingers through his hair. Merlin could give him a thousand explanations, but in reality, he knew that the question Arthur had meant was why he hadn't told him earlier. The young warlock looked towards the shinning blue light, in order to avoid looking at the prince while he answered.

"Did you really think I would have turned you to my father? Do you really believe me to be capable of that?"

"Well you did that for every other magical being that has come in to Camelot!"

"Because they tried to kill me and my family while trying to take over Camelot at some point or another!"

"Stubborn prat."

"Untrusting idiot."

Merlin didn't really know how to answer to that. The truth was, he had been afraid of what Arthur would do if he ever found out the truth, which meant that he hadn't completely trusted the prince.

"We must get back to Camelot." Arthur tried to push the conversation away. If he couldn't trust Merlin, then who could he trust? His father had foolishly engaged him to a girl who would make an unfitting queen for his people without his consent. Morgana, whom he had grown up with, whom he had loved as family, had betrayed him and his kingdom. And now, Merlin had lied about practically his entire existence?

"We can't, remember that?"

Arthur sighed. In the midst of this waiting, he had almost forgotten the reason why they were stuck in the first place. "Look, here is what I do not understand. Why if you are this supposedly such a powerful warlock, you would stick around me and pretend to be a bumbling idiot? Why not leave Camelot, where you would have been safe from my father? Or for that matter, why not stay in Ealdor to begin with?"

In reality, Arthur asked these questions because he couldn't bring himself to pose the question he really wanted to ask. Was Merlin bound to betray him like Morgana just had?

"Because young Prince, his destiny lies by your side." Arthur and Merlin both jumped at the sound of those words. Kilgharrah had arrived, and had been listening patiently inside the cave. "Don't be afraid young Prince, I'm not here to hurt you," the great dragon said, as it realized the state that Arthur was in. "I would ask you why you need me this time, young warlock, but I can see the predicament you are in."

"My magic can't break the seal-"

"That is not what I'm referring to. Of course, the witch is threatening to destroy Camelot, but that is not your biggest concern at this moment."

Merlin looked at Arthur, realizing what the dragon meant. Arthur raised his eyebrow, still rather confused as to why exactly Merlin was talking to this dragon which they had 'supposedly' killed.

"The two of you are supposed to fulfill a destiny that is much greater than anything you can imagine, yet you stand at a crossroads. You can choose to accept it, or reject it."

"Merlin, what is this…thing…even talking about?"

"He's talking about the fact that you don't trust me." Merlin crossed his arms and snickered slightly.

"Because _you_ didn't trust me!"

The dragon laughed, quite amused at their bantering. "The young warlock is meant to protect you, Arthur Pendragon. From the shadows, he was meant to watch over you and make sure that you survive to see your destiny fulfilled."

"What destiny?"

"I am a creature of magic, Arthur Pendragon. I can see the future, one of many probable futures that lie ahead of you. You are meant to be a great king; a king that will be remembered for ages to come. You will be the one who unites all of Albion in peace."

Arthur just stood speechless. Part of him kept expecting this all to be a dream. Morgana being evil, Merlin a sorcerer, a dragon talking to him about his destiny and uniting all of Albion? This had to be a delusion. Morgause must have poisoned him.

"Merlin Emrys, is destined to become the most powerful warlock this world has yet seen. You see young prince, your destinies are forever connected by this power that both of you possess. To each light there is a shadow, to each half a whole, and thus you two are connected by the potential you both have. To fulfill each of your destinies, you need each other."

"Enough!" Arthur yelled, as he reached his boiling point. "I don't have time to listen to your prophecies. How are we supposed to, as you so like to repeat, 'fulfill our destinies' if we are stuck in this god forsaken cave while Camelot is being destroyed as we speak? How am I supposed to become this great king, if my kingdom won't exist by morning and you won't tell us how to get out?"

"Patience young one."

"Patience? My people are dying dragon! You expect me to listen to what you have to say by sitting here, with my arms crossed, while Morgana and Morgause kill innocent people?"

"If that is how you feel about me young prince, then I'll leave." The great dragon chuckled as he turned around.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Merlin asked, in a calmer voice than Arthur's, hoping it would help. "Arthur didn't mean that! We need your help!"

"You expect me to help you, yet you do not heed my advice. Young warlock, what I have told you is just one of the several possible futures that await you both. If you are to save Camelot and achieve your destiny, both of you must learn your place in this world."

With those words, the great dragon flew out of the cave, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone once again.

"Is he always this helpful with the advice?" Arthur asked, as he slumped down on the rock.

"Unfortunately," Merlin said, taking a seat next to him. He prince buried his head between his arms, as he attempted to clear his head.

"The dragon said there's a way for us to save Camelot, which means there's a way out." Arthur said, almost in a whisper, more to himself than anyone else.

"What was that?"

"I said that 'there has to be way for us to get out of here.' " Arthur repeated, and looked towards the blue light that blocked their exit.

"Which is?" Merlin lingered on the last word, almost hopeful that the prince had discovered the secret.

"I don't know, _Mer_lin, if I did, we'd already be out. I'm just saying is that your –friend- knows we'll get out, which means there has be a way out." Arthur sighed and looked back down.

Merlin looked at the sword and remembered something. When Morgause had the sword, before she had placed it on the ground, he had remembered seeing the emblem of Camelot on it.

"Arthur?"

"Yes, Merlin?"

"That was your sword that Morgause took, right?"

"Yes, Merlin," Arthur replied. "I had two swords with me. That one," he said pointing to the one at the boundary, "and the one you broke. Why?"

"Well…I was thinking-"

"Keep it up Merlin. Your brain needs the workout."

Merlin frowned at the comment, but inwardly that meant that Arthur was getting back to his old self.

"I'll keep that in mind, sire," Merlin said before continuing. "I was thinking that since the sword is rightfully yours, maybe it's one of those things that only you can get out."

"What do you mean?"

"Gaius once said that the reason dark magic is so powerful is that it can't be undone by anyone with magic. Maybe, the only one who can break the spell is you."

"Merlin, I don't have the gift of magic." That's when he realized what the warlock was implying. "It's worth a shot." He said, getting up from his resting place, Merlin following behind him. Merlin raised his hand, and Arthur looked towards his servant.

"This better work," Arthur said, taking a deep breath. Merlin nodded in agreement, and concentrated on the spell, the same one he believed would have broken the barrier, but this time, Merlin wasn't the one pulling the sword. Arthur grabbed the hilt, feeling the energy of the magic flowing in and around the sword. It slowly began to burn, but he tightened his grip on the hilt and began pulling on the sword. Merlin's eyes flashed gold. A combination between the strength of Arthur's will and the power of Merlin's magic loosened the sword from the stone. In a single, graceful motion, Arthur was able to pull the sword from the ground that bound it, creating a shockwave of light.

The energy knocked both men down to the ground as it spread through the cave, before completely disappearing. It took a couple of seconds for their eyes to readjust to the light. The cave had turned pitch black, and an eerie silence rang in their ears. Arthur felt the metal hilt still in his hand, and realized that it had worked. He got up slowly, and began to see the faint light at the end of the tunnel.

Merlin groaned as he tried to get up. He didn't need to ask the obvious. He knew that their efforts had worked.

"Sometimes, you can be rather wise. You must stop with the whole bumbling idiot act. You'd be a better servant that way."

"Why is it that your complements still sound like insults?"

Arthur extended his hand to help Merlin up, and ignored the comment. "Let's go Merlin, before I take that back and realize that you being a bumbling idiot wasn't an act."

They started sprinting towards the exit. The fresh air and moonlight shone brightly, hitting them hard as they exited the cave. The wind was strong, but before either one could react, a shadow blocked the moon. Merlin and Arthur looked up to see the great dragon, circling around the cave, before landing in the clearing in front of the cave.

"Well done. You have broken through the witch's magic I see."

"Why couldn't you have told us how to break through the spell? That would have saved a lot of time," Merlin replied arrogantly. He made a mental note to stop spending so much time around Arthur. He was starting to rub off on him.

"Indeed I could have, young warlock, but Morgause played right into the prophecy. You see, Arthur Pendragon, if I had just given you the easy way out, you would not have realized how much you need Merlin, and exactly how important Camelot and its people are to you."

Arthur stood in silence, remembering his outburst from earlier. "Morgause was using magic more powerful than she could understand. By placing that seal on that sword, she ensured that only the righteous person to the throne of Albion could take it from its sheath. She assumed that the spell referred to the person she deemed righteous, not the person the prophecy had named. If I had just told you what you needed to do, you would not have proven yourself worthy of this sword."

The dragon used magic and snatched the sword from Arthur's hand. The sword hovered in the air, before the dragon breathed fire onto it. Merlin had seen this done once before, with the sword he had hidden in the lake, and believed that the dragon would never do such a feat again, especially considering the warning he received. Once the fire died down, the sword floated down to Arthur's hand.

"This sword signifies the promise you made to yourself within that cave, Arthur Pendragon. The promise you made to place your people above yourself and those you care about. The promise to be the king that Albion deserves, and with it, you shall take back Camelot from the witch."

The dragon kneeled in front of the two men, who were still shocked from what had happened. Arthur ran his fingers through the weapon, amazed at its beauty and craftsmanship. Merlin just looked at the dragon with a questioning glance.

"I'd suggest you climb on board unless you mean to let the witch run Camelot," the dragon said with a laugh, breaking the silence, and both Merlin and Arthur reacted, almost dumbfounded, and obeyed, before the dragon lifted once again into the skies.

* * *

**Arthur and Merlin are on their way back to Camelot! Will Leon and Lancelot reach Uther in time? Or will Arthur become a king at an early age? Stay tuned and be sure to drop me a word! Happy holidays!  
**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	8. The Siege of Camelot

**Happy New Year everyone! I know, I said I would update by Christmas, but I had a bit of a writer's bloc (blame it on my teacher and his policy to take a break from writing during the break). Due to the writer's bloc, this chapter is not as long as the previous ones, so for that I apologize. Hopefully the action will more than make up for it. Enjoy and please review if you like it :D**

* * *

There was smoke in the air. The night was still dark, except for the bright glow of the reddening flames which were beginning to cover the citadel. Merlin could see Arthur tense up as they began to approach Camelot. This was his fault. Arthur had condemned his people to death because of his stupid, selfish desires.

"This is not your fault young prince. The witch was going to strike regardless of what you had done."

"How did you-"

"I can feel your emotions, and you should know better than to go into battle troubled."

Arthur sighed and looked at the sword the dragon had forged as they landed close to the castle. It was as close as he could take them without Morgause seeing them. Arthur and Merlin looked the dragon as it flew away, in attempt to clear their thoughts considering the upcoming battle. Arthur began to readjust the remaining chain mail and armor.

"Nervous much?" Merlin asked, trying to break the tension.

"We need to get in through the underground tunnels. There is a secret entrance into the castle, built in for situations like this. No one knows about it except the king."

"Would Morgana know where it is?"

"I doubt it. Father showed me when I was a boy, long before Morgana's father died. I believe he assumed that in the case of an attack on Camelot where we would need to escape, either one of us would be the ones taking Morgana out of Camelot. I don't believe that father would have ever dreamed that said attacker would be Morgana."

Arthur's grip on the sword tightened, and without warning, he began to move forward towards the castle. Merlin followed closely, for the first time, Merlin didn't feel like a burden as he walked into battle alongside Arthur. Similarly, Arthur felt a wave of reassurance that would otherwise have not existed. He might be heading into one of the toughest battles of his life, yet for the first time, he did not feel at a disadvantage against these sorcerers, for on his side, he had magic as well.

* * *

The beasts had reached the towers, making the climb upwards intolerable. Lancelot and Leon fought side by side, but the monsters kept coming, one after the other, replacing their fallen brethren.

Lancelot took one of the lit torches and threw it at the beasts, hoping the fire would distract them monetarily while they gained more ground. The only reason they were still alive was due to their advantageous high ground. Leon used the momentary distraction to stab one of the beasts in the heart. The chimera fell back, promptly crashing into two others that were making their way up, momentarily slowing the beasts down. The combination of the smoke of the fire and the weight of the injured chimera allowed Lancelot and Leon to straighten their battle stance as they kept ascending. At this rate, they didn't want to think what Morgana could have done to the king by the time they got to them.

This much needed break allowed Lancelot and Leon to advance, but it also blinded them. The smoke grew thick and they couldn't see what was behind them, which put them at risk, but they needed to reach Uther at any cost. That was when Lancelot turned around and saw a shadow dashing towards them. It pushed him to the ground, and caused him to land on his right arm. The pain was excruciating, but Lancelot forced himself to attempt to hit the beast with the sword. He would not go down this way.

Leon turned around and attempted to help Lancelot, but another beast used the distraction to pin Leon to the wall. Leon stabbed the beast, but monster did not go down. None of them would. Creatures of magic could only be killed with magic. Until know it had been good enough to injure them to get ahead, but now…now they were at a close range. Leon tried to push the beast one more time as he heard Lancelot scream one more time. He hoped to god that Gwaine and the other knights were having better luck.

* * *

The large room where Gaius had set up his hospital was filled with injured men and women and those who were looking for their loved ones. Things outside did not look well. Some of the knights had made their way back to the hospital to protect the citizens of Camelot since there was no way they could break through the monsters that protected Morgause. There was no plan at this point. Many had begun to loose hope that they would be able to survive this attack, as the number of knights and guards had dwindled greatly.

Gwaine had returned with the knights, and was helping Gaius cure some of the men, when his eyes caught Gwen. The servant girl was busy helping as well, but there was something about her that made him worry. It was as if she had begun to lose hope. He approached her discreetly, and begun tending one of the patients next to the one she was helping.

"Are you all right?"

"What kind of question is that given our current situation?" She asked. "Of course I am all right, compared to what these people are going through."

"That's not what I meant," he replied, and could see that she was fighting back tears.

"I'm scared. We have no way to fight this magic. Morgause by now has probably-" she cut herself off. She didn't want to break down. Now was not the time. She focused on the task at hand, helping the patient who was in front of her.

"Arthur is tougher than one would expect. Morgause couldn't take him out easily. "

"Even with," Gwen almost was afraid to say the words. Their conversation had occurred in whispers, afraid that anyone might hear them and create a bigger panic than before, "magic?"

Gwaine sighed. He really didn't know what to say. He trusted Arthur with his life, and had seen the prince's fighting skills, but deep inside, he feared that this was more than anyone could handle.

Gaius looked up and saw the two talking. The worried faces made him cringe, but in his long life, he had seen Camelot bounce back from worst disasters. The physician sighed and returned to his work. He hoped that Merlin was somewhere out there, doing something useful to save the kingdom.

* * *

The tunnels were dark and musty. A few rats crossed their path every now and then, but otherwise, they were deserted. Merlin produced a small flame in his hand which guided their way. They were moving through the citadel quite quickly through this route. Within a few minutes, they had gone from the castle walls to the center of the structure.

Arthur found the groove in the rock that formed the door. He tried pushing the special key that would bring the door to open, but it was useless. The stone would not budge.

"_Allinan._" Merlin said as his eyes flashed gold, and the rock moved, causing Arthur to stumble by the sudden shift in weight.

"Do I have to do everything around here?" the warlock asked mocking Arthur, before helping him up.

"That's why you are the servant, not I," at which moment, a beast came in from the outside of the door. Arthur immediately stabbed it, causing it to disintegrate in a flash of light. The two looked at each other, and then at the sword in Arthur's hand.

"So I guess this really does work," Merlin said, almost humorously. Arthur just gave him a glare and they exited onto the hallway. They were close to the royal quarters, and there were a large number of chimeras in the immediate vicinity. They must be close to Morgause.

Arthur looked at Merlin, and the two raised their weapons. Arthur swung his sword, killing several beasts quite quickly as Merlin raised his hand and pushed several of them back towards the wall.

"They are concentrating towards that entryway!" Merlin looked to Arthur as he slew the last beast. Arthur looked towards the arch. It led to the towers, which meant-

"They must be attacking someone," Arthur replied.

"Either that or they are protecting someone."

"Which means we are going up," Arthur said, heading towards the entryway.

"'We' sounds like too many people."

"Merlin!"

"Then up we go," Merlin sighed, following Arthur up the stairways. "Once would think I would get a choice in whether to risk my life, but no-"

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to," Merlin replied, as they realized that there was a fire burning up the tower. The stench of the burned out flesh began to hit them with the smoke, and the cries of the chimeras began to ring in their ears. Arthur looked back at Merlin, and the young warlock knew what he had to do. Arthur readied his battle stance, awaiting the moment.

"_Eorthe, lyft, fyr, waeter, hiersumie me_."

Arthur raised his sword the moment the flames died and ran into the cloud of smoke. With the sword, he easily stabbed two beasts, turning them into light and dust, which allowed him to see the attack of a third which was coming his way. Arthur ducked, and the beast overshot its target, falling down the staircase. It regained its footing and began to sprint upwards, but by then Arthur had the advantage, and easily cut right through it. Arthur continued his ascent, and he could hear that Merlin was close behind, when he saw a beast crouching on the ground, attacking a man. Arthur stabbed it in the back causing it to explode.

"_Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan se wideor!_"

Arthur saw the flash of light immediately in front of his eyes. There had been another beast right in front of him, and he would have not had enough time to respond to the attack. There were no more chimeras in the immediate vicinity, and Arthur kneeled to help the man who had been injured by the beast. The smoke began to clear, allowing Arthur to recognize the man.

"Lancelot?" Arthur said softly, more to himself than to anyone else.

"Your highness?" a weaker voice came from the steps in front of him, a voice which he recognized well after so many years of fighting alongside of him.

"Leon! Merlin, help me."

"On it," he replied, as he was already on his way to Leon. The injuries on the men looked bad, making Merlin wish that Gaius was there to help him.

"Can you cure them?" Arthur asked.

"Not entirely. I know some healing spells, but not many," he answered truthfully. Merlin raised his hand, doubting himself as he muttered the words. He hoped they would help.

"Looks like we picked the right time to get here," Arthur said as he bandaged Lancelot's arm while Merlin healed Leon.

"No sire, the right time would have been a couple of hours ago." Leon stated, a weak smile escaping his lips.

* * *

**So finally, Arthur and Merlin are back in Camelot and kicking some serious beast derriere. You can see that we are approaching the end of this story, since the battle for Camelot is well underway, so stay tuned to hear the exciting, conclusion (although there will probably be 2 more chapters at least, depending on how much I drag on this battle. :p)**

Love

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	9. The Pendragon Lineage

**Hello Everyone! **

**After a very hectic week, I have finally finished the next chapter! Yey! I can't believe how close I'm getting to the end. As always, thank you to all those of you who have read my story and/or put it on alert/favorite.  
**

**

* * *

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This had become silent in the hospital. Patients were no longer coming, which either meant the attack had died down, or those beasts had become so efficient at killing that there were no loner any survivors left. A chill ran down Gwen's spine. She missed the chaos, because it meant that chances were that the fight had been lost, and that thought scared her more than anything.

The thud on the door was what brought her back to reality. Gwaine had decided to chain the doors together in order to prevent the beasts from making their way inside. It had been a good plan, and they had not yet been attacked. There was a second, smaller entrance where they had been letting patients in, but now that two was closed since they stopped coming. The thud on the door had been loud, and had only hit once. It couldn't be that these beasts had found them, could it?

Gwaine drew his sword, as he approached the door. He held his breath as he awaited a second thud.

"What are you doing? Are you going to go out there?" Gaius asked, right before the man reached the door.

"No, but if they get in, we need a line of defense, don't we?"

"One person? Against these monsters? You wouldn't last." Gwen said as she grabbed one of the spare swords.

"You underestimate me," Gwaine flashed a grin that would have made any woman melt, but he knew Gwen better, and as he so had guessed, it would only irritate her more.

"You don't know the insides of Camelot as well as I do, and from the looks of it, you are going to go around and attack them from behind. You need someone, and I know how to use a sword. After all, my father was a blacksmith."

"Guinevere is right. As much as I hate to admit it, you don't know the castle, and if you make your way around the castle, at least you could distract and draw the beasts away from here long enough for me to try and get the patients out of Camelot's walls."

A second thud was heard, and before long, they began to hear claws scratching the door. "It'll be dangerous," Gwaine began to make his way towards the door, with Gwen close behind him.

"Well, the sooner we go, the sooner we are back," she replied as she opened the smaller side door.

* * *

Morgana sat alone in the tower, waiting for Morgause's word. She already had the crown of Camelot resting on her head, which made her feel powerful beyond belief. Revenge was the sweetest of drugs. Uther would face the fate that so many of her kind had faced. Justice would be served once and for all.

Uther was lying on the bed, goblet still resting in his hand, and part of the liquid had spilled onto the sheets and the floor. She smiled and looked out the window. By sunrise, Uther would be dead. By sunrise, Camelot would be hers. She played with the dagger in her hand. She wished she could plunge it into his heart, stopping it once and for all. She couldn't. If she did, she would no longer be the legitimate Queen of Camelot. She needed the people to rally at her side without any loyalty to Arthur or Uther.

Arthur was currently suffering a pain worse than death at the hands of Morgause, feeling what she had felt all of her life: isolation, despair and hopelessness. Uther would die by the hands of magic. They would blame some neighboring kingdom for the attack, and then, when all seemed lost, or rather, when all those who remained loyal to Uther, died, Morgana and Morgause would use their magic to stop it. They would prove that magic was not a curse, but a gift, and with Arthur and Uther out of the picture, she could step unchallenged to the throne.

Morgana ran her hand down Uther's hair as he so often had done when she was a child. The coward! How could he lie to her? Tell her she was just a ward? He had been ashamed of her, just as everyone else. After all, what was she but a bastard child? No, she was worse. She was a bastard child who had been given the gift of magic. Nom this was the way things had to be. Things would be set right under her rule, and those wronged so long ago would have retribution.

"Step away from him," Morgana looked up and found herself staring at Arthur. She looked at the door and wondered for a second how he had gotten here. Not only had the door been open without a sound, but he was physically here, standing in front of her, when Morgause had promised to take care of him.

"Brother...how nice to see you." Morgana uttered, as she rose from the bed. She smiled softly as she looked towards the door. Arthur was alone. No knights were with him.

"Morgana, you can stop this now. No one else needs to get hurt." Arthur had lowered his sword, hoping to appeal to her reason. "You said it yourself. You are my sister. There is no need for you to attack Camelot like this."

"No need? Do you have any idea of what I suffered?" Morgana reached for her belt, where she now kept her sword, and raised it towards Arthur and attacked. Arthur was caught off guard, but he was a good enough swordsman that he blocked the blow no problem. "No, of course you wouldn't."

She began attacking him again, but Arthur didn't attack back, he was only responding to her blows.

"What is wrong brother? Afraid of fighting a girl?"

"No. I'm afraid for you, for what you've done to Camelot. For what you have become." She attacked again, but as with the other times, Arthur was only in the defensive, and easily blocked the sword. It was one thing to say he was going to fight Morgana. It was another to actually stand in front of her and see how different she was, and worse, realize that she had changed in front of him, and he hadn't done anything to stop it.

"Uther always believed you were weak. He always worried that you were not good enough to rule Camelot. That-"

"What makes you think you are so much better? You killed your subjects!"

"So did Uther! He killed those who could use magic!" Arthur took a step back, changing his battle stance slightly. She looked at her brother with pity. "Let's see who wins the fight for ruler of Camelot."

"If that's what you want," Arthur raised his sword, and this time, when Morgana attacked, he simply moved out of the way. She was a good sword fighter, but her dress gave her a disadvantage, and he knew it. He had fought against her too many times, and saw that. With a swift flick of his leg, Morgana was down on the floor. Before she got a chance to get back up, he kicked her sword away and put the edge of his against her neck.

"Give up Morgana, you can't win this fight."

"_Atres!_" She chanted, pushing him back against the wall. She got up and picked up her own sword, before walking to where he had fallen. "Thought you could win so easily, didn't you Arthur? You forget who I am. I am a sorceress!"

"And you forget I am Arthur Pendragon, Prince and heir to the throne of Camelot." Morgana felt the cold blade of a sword pointed at her neck. "You think I was foolish enough to come by myself?"

* * *

Gwaine looked at the beasts that were attacking the door. At this rate, they would destroy it within minutes. He knew what he had to do, and it wouldn't be easy. Heck, he was pretty sure he was regretting the thought the moment it crossed his mind. However there was no choice. If he didn't protect those behind the door, no one else would.

As he sighed, he felt Gwen's hand on his arm, reassuring him. He managed to give her a weak smile, but he feared that if this failed, there would be nothing else to do. All would be lost. There was no way that the knights could last against these beasts that didn't die. That thought scared him more than anything else. Immortality, the power to live forever, or in this case, the power to kill forever. They were doomed. All that Gwaine could hope to do was last long enough to allow the people to escape.

Gwen raised her sword, and he motioned for them to move forward. They were suddenly attracted by the noise, and turned to face the new arrivals.

The beasts began to chase them down the hallway. Gwaine attacked some of the ones that came at him first, but tried to gain as much ground as possible. He looked towards Gwen, who had already started running, leading the beasts away from the hospital. One of the chimeras with wings managed to fly and cut off Gwen's escape route, but as it landed, she was able to hit the beast with the sword, injuring it slightly to allow her to move through.

Gwaine moved in the opposite direction to Gwen, forcing the beasts to split up. He took a quick look and saw that the plan was working. The chimeras were moving further and further away from the hospital. He just worried about how long they would last.

Gwen told him the route he had to follow in order to take the beasts into the dungeons. There, he would be trapped with the damned monsters, but at least they would be away from those who still where inside the citadel. For the moment, at least.

Merlin, Lancelot and Leon knew that the plan was risky. For Arthur to confront Morgana on his own was suicide, mainly because they had no idea how powerful her magic was, or whether Morgause was with her. However, with that in mind, they had the element of surprise for when she thought that she had the upper hand. In a way, that was what bothered them the most. Leon knew that surprise was key in any type of strategy, but sending the Prince, which at this point was all that stood between Morgana and the crown, first was suicide, not just for Arthur, but for the kingdom as well.

They stood outside the door, hidden from view. Merlin could hear the way Arthur was stalling for time, trying to get a tactical advantage for the situation. Morgana was by herself. That much they knew. They could not tell from Uther's condition from the current vantage point, which meant that one of them would have to go check on the king once they had revealed their positions. Arthur and Morgana kept circling each other, swords raised. Leon looked to Lancelot who looked back at Merlin. Things could get ugly quickly if he decided to fight. And they did.

The moment Arthur had his sword at Morgana's neck, Lancelot got into a battle stance. They knew what she would do in a situation like this, and were ready to attack. The moment Morgana used magic, he had burst into the room and had the sword pointed at her neck.

"I guess I underestimated you, brother. You are smarter than you look, although I must ask, are you too cowardly to fight your own sister by your own accord?" She lowered her weapon, allowing Arthur to stand back up. His own sword had fallen off his hand when he had hit the wall, which he regretted.

"M'lady, surrender before something happens that you regret," Lancelot said, pushing the tip of the sword softly against her skin. A slight drop of red tainted her ivory neck, leaving a trail as it traveled downwards. It was enough to send a warning, yet not enough to actually hurt her. Morgana was impressed.

"I am most definitely impressed. You've trained your men well Arthur. It's too bad you will see them die for you before I take your own life."

Arthur moved towards Uther before Morgana used magic again. He placed his hand on the king's neck. There was still a pulse, weak but still there. Morgana hadn't killed him yet.

"If you are so confident, what stops you from killing me? Or my father? If you are so powerful sister, why don't you just take my life with your magic right now?"

Morgana gave Arthur a smile that chilled him to the bone, and that was when he realized that she too was waiting for something. The windows blew open and before he could tell what was happening, Morgause came in, mounted in one of her flying chimeras.

"_Swilte_!" Morgause yelled, her eyes flashing gold, as sudden gusts of wind began swirling around the room. Arthur fell to his knees as his breath escaped him. He was suffocating, and for much he tried, he could not breathe. That's when he understood. Morgana never had the power to kill him. Morgause did.

* * *

**O.O What will our heroes do? Does Merlin have the power to stop Morgause? Even if he did, can he do it in time? You should be warned, I am one of those authors who's not really afraid of anything (happens when you are studying professional writing), which means I have the guts to kill someone if the situation calls for it, regardless of how much I love the character. That being said, that doesn't mean I will necessarily do so. I originally wrote this story, the ending ended up being rather similar to the series 3 finale (which is a lot to say considering I wrote it about 4 weeks before it aired). Hence, I am trying to change the ending to something that feels natural for this story, so what I guess I'm trying to say is, be prepared for anything, since even I at this point don't know what's gonna happen.  
**

**In other news, I'm thinking of writing a Lancelot/Gwen one shot (not related to this story), but am rather unsure about it, so if you guys are interested in reading it, drop me a word in the reviews :D**

Love and imaginary chocolate chip cookies for all!  
~Pendragon Alchemist~  



	10. La morte et tout ses amis

**Hello Readers! If you're still there that is. I apologize for my lack of updates, but school has been tough (and when I say tough, I mean I no longer have free time). I wish I could have gone back and made this chapter longer, but the longer I waited, the longer I realized this was good enough for you guys :D Anyways, a recap since most of you don't remember the story probably.**

**Story: Arthur and Merlin were able to break into Camelot and have made it to where Morgana was holding Uther. After some stalling by Arthur to get Lancelot and Leon back to fighting strength, Morgause arrives and unleashes a spell on Arthur. Now that we are all caught up, let the games begin!  
**

* * *

Uther awoke to the peaceful sound of the birds chirping. The light came softly through the window curtains. It must have been early morning by the golden hue of the sun. He had never felt more comfortable than he did right at that minute. Everything was peaceful once again in Camelot. He remembered there were problems in the past, but they seemed distant as he slowly stirred in his bed.

"Uther? You awake?"

The voice startled him slightly. It was sweet and loving, a sound that he had tried so hard to not forget, but that time seemed to have erased.

He turned and looked at the woman standing by his bedside. She was radiant. There were no more words to describe it. His heart felt like it was going to explode with joy. His darling Ygraine just smiled as he sat down on the bed.

"I-I can't-" Uther couldn't speak. His wife stood in front of him like she had all those years ago, before the purge, before everything. He reached out to touch her, his hand trembling that she was going to vanish, like in every other dream, but she didn't. She was real.

"I am here my love. I swear I am." She reassured him, kissing his hand softly.

He grabbed her in his arms and held her tightly. "I can't lose you again. I just-" His voice was cracking.

"I know my love, but it is not your time yet."

Uther pulled away slowly. "Am I dead?"

"No love," she just held his hand in between hers. "You are in a world in between world. Close to death, but not dead. It is not your time yet."

"How do you know that?"

Ygraine sighed. "I'm awaiting someone else. You were not supposed to awaken, not yet anyways."

"Who were you waiting for then?"

Suddenly all the memories came back to Uther. Morgana had betrayed him. His own daughter-

Ygraine looked towards the door and began to get up. "It was never supposed to be this way." There were tears in her eyes as she turned away from her husband.

"Ygraine…what happened?" Uther felt a cold feeling creep up through his body. His stomach felt sick. "What is going on?"

A piercing scream broke through the silence. It started out quietly, but slowly began to build in crescendo. Ygraine began to race out of the room and down the corridor. Uther followed closely behind her, with each passing second, the sound getting louder. At a point, it stopped being a scream and became a rumble. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn Camelot was being destroyed around him.

"It's just a dream. Just a dream," he kept mouthing to himself, but for some reason, with each passing second, he began to doubt it more and more. Magic had forced him to see Ygraine before, maybe this was another hallucination.

He cursed under his breath. Damn that Morgause. He had taken from him what was most precious, his darling daughter, and turned her against him. She would pay for it, he would make sure. He would defeat this enchantment. He would wake up. He wouldn't let death take over him.

Ygraine stopped in front of a door. She opened it, and the sunlight fell once again on her bright golden hair, illuminating her in a halo. There were tears in her eyes, but she wiped them off quickly. It took a moment for Uther to register where in the castle they were. He was here so often that he hadn't thought anything of it.

A shadow blocked the sun for just a second, and stood at the door, before embracing Ygraine tightly.

No, stealing Morgana wasn't the worst thing that Morgause had done. He understood that.

Ygraine looked at her husband, her eyes begging for forgiveness. In her eyes, she was pleading with him, telling him that it wasn't her fault this had happened. Fate was just a cruel mistress.

Uther felt himself slipping away from this world, not knowing whether his eyes were blurry from the tears he was fighting back, or from the darkness closing in.

He fought with his mind to keep his eyes open, to stay in this world with them, yet when he opened his eyes, he was back in reality.

He was lying on the bed in one of the castle towers, the vial that Morgana had given him still in his hand. His body felt heavy and numb. The room itself was destroyed. The furniture was shredded to pieces, and there was debris all over the floor. He looked up and saw that the canopy of the bed itself had partially collapsed but had managed to keep him safe during the wave of destruction.

"Your highness," Lancelot said, running over to the king. Uther recognized the man. Arthur had been right. This man was loyal, even if he had lied about his noble blood.

Arthur. That was when he looked past the debris and realized his dream, if he could even call it that, had been right. Leon was standing next to Merlin, as they checked on the lifeless body of his son.

"How great of you to join us father in this most tragic of occasions," Morgana said, with that ever cool grin plastered over her blood red lips.

* * *

Merlin and Leon looked to the inside in disbelief. Leon ran in and attempted to attack Morgause, but her beast easily pushed him away.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold as he ran into the room. There was no way that Morgause was going to get away with this. He just began to shout all the spells his mind could think of, he even came up with some, but nothing helped.

Within seconds, Arthur had fallen unconscious on the floor. At this rate, within minutes he would be dead. Merlin just tried to think of more spells, but his mind came up blank. Nothing he knew could counteract Morgause's magic. He hadn't had enough practice with dark magic. He couldn't control those forces.

He attempted to work on instinct. The silence was what terrified him the most. Lancelot and Leon were now by Arthur's side. They attempted to revive him with just as much desperation as Merlin through conventional methods, but it nothing helped.

One minute had passed. Merlin attacked Morgause. He used all his magical skills, and actually caused some damage to the witch. He assumed that if she maybe lost concentration, the spell would be undone. It was false.

Two minutes passed. Morgause was now on her knees, bloodied, but spell continued. Merlin's untapped potential was beginning to rise up. The walls of Camelot had begun to shake out of his sheer power, yet he could not undo the spell.

Three minutes passed. There was a small crater where Merlin stood created by the strength of his magic. Still, nothing.

Four minutes passed.

"Merlin, stop." It was Lancelot who spoke. His voice calm, as always, but tinted in melancholy. Merlin understood what the tone meant. He looked over and saw that Lancelot had two fingers to Arthur's wrist.

There was no pulse. Lancelot let go of Arthur's hand, and it fell, limp on his side.

"No…no…"

"Poor dear brother. If he had only accepted me as his Queen, then maybe his life could have been forgiven," Morgana said, her arms crossed, as she walked over to him.

"He can't be dead! He must fulfill the prophecy!"

"Don't be ignorant Merlin. You think I didn't know about the prophecy?" Morgause asked, weakly. "Prophecy's don't always come true. Destinies can be changed. Magic can change fate, as it has done tonight."

Merlin couldn't hold his power any longer. He screamed, releasing a shockwave of energy so powerful that it destroyed most in its path. Glass shattered, the furniture chipped, and the rock walls began to crumble. Morgana and Morgause were knocked off their feet, and Lancelot and Leon used their shields to protect themselves as well as Uther and Arthur.

His body was being consumed by anger. In a matter of minutes, he had lost all that he had been fighting for in the past years. He had lost Camelot. He had lost his destiny. He had lost his best friend. Merlin had failed.

"Merlin," a voice called out from the darkness. The great dragon was calling out to the young warlock. "Calm yourself. If you continue, you will kill not only the witches, but your friends and the innocent people of Camelot."

Reassurance flowed from the dragon's words. The ripples of anger were disappearing, and their void was being filled by pain.

"This is supposed to happen for the prophecy to be fulfilled. Do not lose hope yet young warlock."

There were tears swelling in his eyes. Lancelot and Leon lowered their shields once the energy stopped. Merlin walked slowly over to where Leon and Lancelot stood. He knelt by their side, to honor the fallen prince.

Morgana got up from the floor. Her clothes were damaged, and it looked like she was bleeding slightly. She had protected herself with magic, but it hadn't been enough. Morgause was lying unconscious on the floor.

It was at that moment when Uther awoke from his trance.

* * *

The great dragon had been flying around Camelot waiting for the moment. The prophecies where as old as time, and unfortunately, in order for Arthur to achieve his great destiny, he had to lose much.

The dragon would have told Merlin, except that the young warlock could not have understood at the time.

The dragon landed on the roof of the tower, astonished that it could hold its weight after the damage Merlin had done. If it hadn't been clear that this boy was the strongest warlock to ever walk the face of the earth before this, it was now.

"You must finish Morgana and Morgause now young warlock." The dragon spoke to Merlin's mind. "Once they are gone, we can deal with the prince himself."

"Can we save him?" Merlin asked, almost hesitantly.

"Yes, but not while the witches are still standing."

* * *

**I know...short and a cliffhanger. I will try my best to make it so I update sooner, but please bear with me if I can't. :D As always, if you liked something/disliked something, review! That way I know how I'm doing :D **

**Love and Peace**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~  
**


	11. The Darkness to the Light

**Hey! Ok, so I haven't updated in a while, but let's just say college is a greater pain for me than for most people, leaving me no time for a life, much less writing. Anyways, here is the new chapter. It is short, but I promise I will update a LOT sooner than I have done recently. Thank you to those of you who still follow this story. My two Beta readers liked the chapter, so hopefully so will you :D**

* * *

Gwaine stood still until the shaking stopped. The beasts had run away from the castle, clearly afraid of what would happen in case that Camelot did crumble down.

Gwaine was suddenly afraid. If these beasts, immortal and made of magic, feared this force, then Camelot didn't stand a chance. He had never heard of magic so strong that it could have the potential to bring a structure as great as Camelot to its knees, but tonight, it had certainly been proven possible.

"Gwaine!"

There was still dust lingering in the air, and it took a couple of seconds for the man to notice where the sound had come from. Slowly a silhouette took shape. It was Gwen, but she wasn't alone. She was helping support the weight of someone, but he couldn't make out who it was.

"You alright?" Gwaine's voice was hoarse, and he coughed slightly. The dust was getting into his lungs. He hated the feeling. It was constricting him in a way he wasn't expecting, and if those beasts came back right that minute, he would be in no condition to keep up a fight.

"Yes, we are fine," it was Gaius who answered.

"I thought you were staying with the people at the hospital-"

"If I do that, we are all dead." Gaius' voice was cold and calculating. Gwaine could tell that this man had seen his fair share of battles throughout the years.

Gaius started directing Gwen to the staircase. "We have to deal with Morgause and Morgana, and the only way to do that is through magic."

"But magic's been banned-"

"We have no choice." This time it was Gwen who replied. "If we wait any longer, we'll all be dead."

Gwaine nodded, and helped carry Gaius as they begun ascending the tower. It would be a tall climb in a most likely destroyed stairwell, but he knew that it was now or never. After all, either they would die fighting, or die sitting still, and to be honest, Gwaine was a man who preferred a straight fight.

* * *

Morgana's eyes met Uther's for a second. Her lips were tainted red with blood, and Merlin could see that she had clearly taken a toll.

Merlin himself was shaking. The dragon's words were comforting, but not enough. He had unleashed a magic greater than anything he ever knew before based on sheer emotion, and that terrified him. Before this, Merlin thought he had his magical abilities controlled, but now, he understood that he was only at the beginning of his potential. Yet even with his outburst, he had still not managed to destroy Morgana.

Lancelot and Leon just stood by the fallen prince. They understood that in this situation, there wasn't anything they could do. They were mere soldiers, and their physical skills could never match Morgana or Merlin's magic.

Uther on the other hand, was devastated. There were tears in his eyes as he saw the body of his son, the boy for whom he had given up everything for, dead in front of him. How could he have foreseen that his children would kill each other? How could he have seen that the two people he held most dear in the world would in the end destroy each other?

"I guess it is true what they say." Morgana finally said, breaking the eerie silence of the room. "There were no words to describe the pain of having a parent see their child dead before them. How does it feel father? Tell me. How does it feel to know that I've taken what is most precious to you? That I've taken your heir away from you?"

"Morgana," was all he could muster in response before she cut him off.

"This is how all those people felt when you killed their parents, their children, anyone or anything that was remotely related to magic! This is how I felt when I knew that you would have my head if you knew of my gift!"

Morgana subconsciously had begun stirring the air around her, causing sparks to fly everywhere.

Merlin then understood what the Great Dragon meant. The old religion always found balance. There is a light to every dark, and unfortunately, Morgana was the darkness to Merlin's light. Merlin thought for a second, as he realized, in anger, Morgana might have an outburst just as he did. However, the castle could not stand another attack of that strength without crumbling and killing all its inhabitants. Merlin had to stop her, but he didn't know how.

Merlin closed his eyes, searching for a prayer, for a way that the old religion would help him prevent this tragedy. After all, death could not balance death. If the great purge had occurred, it meant that destiny also planned for a renaissance. Yet the great religion had killed Arthur, the one that was supposed to unite Albion and restore peace to the realm.

Merlin was confused, and didn't know what to do. Morgana's power was dangerous, uncontrollable, and at this moment, so was his, and unfortunately, neither of those powers were what Camelot needed right now.

Morgana yelled as her lights flashed gold, and Merlin just raised his hand, his eyes flashing instinctively, and suddenly, flame met flame.

* * *

Gaius, Gwen and Gwaine all braced themselves as the tower began shaking again.

"If I didn't know better, it sounds like a battle," Gwaine said, almost afraid of knowing what was expecting them above. He feared that the magic of these two witches would be too much for the old physician to bear. However, Gaius had a slight smile on his face.

"We better hurry," Gaius said, moving forward, past his younger companions. In his heart, he felt that the only way that Morgana and Morgause would be challenged would be if Merlin had somehow found his way to the front lines of the battle. "After all, if looks like we may be winning this one after all."

Gwen looked at Gwaine rather confused, but the two followed in the physician's steps. Soon enough, they would know the state of the battle.

* * *

Lancelot and Leon once again had their shields up, protecting Uther and Arthur from the attack of the warlock and witch.

Uther was now holding Arthur as he saw the true power of his daughter and Arthur's servant. All this time, he had thought that magic had been extinguished from the kingdom, yet now he could see that in reality it was harvesting its strongest seeds in those closest to him.

What astonished him was Merlin's dedication to Arthur. One would think that the young warlock would have harvested anger against Uther and the Pendragon lineage for what was done to all magical beings in the kingdom. After all, it was what his own daughter had done. Yet here he was, fighting her, in Arthur memory.

Merlin ceased the fire attack. By now, the roof of the tower had disappeared, and the high winds from the night were taking their toll on the room. Morgana looked at Morgause for a second. Her sister was still unresponsive.

Merlin was slightly injured by now. He had a couple of cuts and scrapes from Morgana's attack, but was otherwise in much better condition than the witch. The way this fight was turning into a war of attrition which Merlin had no desire to fight.

"Time is running out young warlock," Kilgharrah whispered in Merlin's mind.

"I KNOW!" Merlin shouted, without realizing that he was actually speaking instead of thinking. His eyes flashed gold and pushed Morgana towards the wall. The weight of the attack made the wall collapse.

"_Bifan Bewerian,"_ Morgana yelled as it became apparent that she was going to be sucked out by the current.

Leon and Lancelot held on to the remaining stone wall for support, while the gust of wind picked up, pulling Merlin out of the room along with Morgana.

* * *

When Gaius and the rest reached the top of the tower, it was too late. Morgana, Morgause and Merlin had been sucked out by the gust and lost to the darkness of the night.

Gaius noticed that Uther and the two knights were kneeling over Arthur, who had started to lose his natural skin color for a colder blue by now.

They didn't need to ask what had happened. Gwen ran to Arthur, almost in hysterics, as she hugged his body tightly.

Uther would have pushed her away, but he understood now that when Arthur had admitted to being under a spell, it had all been a lie. He could recognize Gwen's reaction as the same he had the night when Ygraine had lost her life, and as such he let her grieve next to the body of the man he loved.

Gaius moved towards the open ledge and looked to the abyss.

"There was a spell, Merlin was pulled out by the wind," Lancelot answered Gaius' unspoken question.

The physician closed his eyes after seeing the dizzying fall below. It made sense in a twisted way. Arthur and Merlin had been destined to be two halves of the same coin. Without one, there was no point for the other. A tear escaped from his eyes, as suddenly, the gravity of the situation sank in.

* * *

**So, that's it for now. I know, after last chapter was how could things get worse, and they did, but I promise they will get better. How do I know? I have half of the next chapter already written! So please leave me a review. They make me happy. :D**

Love

~Pendragon Alchemist


	12. The Magic of the Earth Itself

**I told you guys I would update soon :) I didn't want to leave you with a cliffhanger after all. Enjoy :D**

* * *

Merlin hated the feeling of having your stomach pushed up your body by the force of gravity. It was the most uncomfortable experience he had ever felt. He felt sick, and immediately wanted to throw up.

He looked at his surroundings, for anything that could help break his fall, but there was nothing. Morgana had disappeared into the darkness. The violent winds could have carried her anywhere.

Merlin looked towards the ground. He was doomed. Everywhere he looked there was nothing but the pavement floors of Camelot. He wanted to cry, but there were too many thoughts in his head at once.

This was how it would end. This was how Camelot would fall. Arthur was dead, and now he would follow him to the afterlife.

That's when Merlin felt the almost crushing force pushing him sideways. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he noticed that his body was no longer being pierced by the freezing wind. There was warmth wrapped around him.

The next thing he realized was that he was no longer falling, but rather that he was flying. There was a massive claw wrapped around his body, and that's when he understood. He looked up and saw Kilgharrah. The Great Dragon, who had come to his rescue.

He had caught the young warlock just in time. Merlin couldn't contain himself at that moment. There were tears streaming down his face. His heart had felt so many emotions in the past couple of minutes, that there was no way for him to not burst now. He was alive, and not dead, and that alone was a blessing.

The dragon was flying back up to the top of the tower. The fight wasn't over yet.

* * *

Gaius fell back as the Great Dragon flew by the tower. The force of the wind surrounding the beast was too much to handle.

They all looked up as the majestic dragon landed on what remained of the roof. Its foot placed Merlin down on the ground, and immediately Gaius ran to him.

Merlin coughed slightly. He was sick from the fall, and almost threw up on the spot. Gaius tried to help the boy up, but Merlin struggled to stand. His leg must have been broken by the force of the dragon grabbing him in mid fall.

There was some blood from the wound, and Gaius immediately tried putting pressure, see if he could stop the bleeding.

Uther stood up now, and looked at the dragon. There was a long history of hatred between the two. This was the dragon that was almost responsible for Camelot's fall once before. Kilgharrah had already murdered hundreds of innocent bystanders in the name of revenge, and Uther feared he would take advantage of what Morgana had caused to do this again. Or worse, he could be in alliance with Morgause and Morgana.

"Dragon, why are you here?" Uther asked. His voice retained some of the strength that was characteristic of the King, but the pain was tangible. The man had just lost his son. No more could be asked of him.

"I never though I would say this, but I am not your enemy," the dragon's voice was as calm as ever.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" Merlin snapped. How could he be so calm in a time like this? How could he be so insensitive? Camelot was almost destroyed. Morgana and Morgause were still out there. Arthur was- Merlin closed his eyes, trying to fight the tears that came when he thought of his now lost friend.

"You told me the prophecy! Why couldn't you tell me that this could happen?"

The dragon gave them a slight sigh. He cocked his head to the side, almost analyzing Merlin as the man broke in front of him. He had already seen how destructive the young warlock could be, and part of him tried to think if Merlin would be prepared to hear what needed to be said.

"Merlin, this was written in the prophecy. This was Arthur's destiny, regardless of what you or anybody else did."

Tears had started falling from Merlin's eyes. "You said he was the Once and Future King! If he was just going to die, why did you make me protect him? If I didn't matter-"

Gwaine had gotten up by now and placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder to calm him down. Merlin looked back and saw the group of people that had surrounded Arthur. Gwen was sobbing in Lancelot's arms, and Leon sat solemnly next to the body of the fallen Prince. Uther looked like a shell of his former self, and at that moment he understood just how painful this was on everyone.

"Because young warlock, there is a deeper magic than what Morgana and Morgause know. They do not know the old religion like I do, and do not understand the ancient prophecies because of it."

"He can be saved?" Uther asked.

"Yes. When he drank out of the cup of life, his soul gained a power that seldom have."

"Immortality?" Gaius asked.

"No." The dragon answered. "At death, his soul does not completely go to the world beyond this one, because the tie created by the cup of life is too strong. Thus, he can be saved, but only if shortly after death."

"I'll do anything! I just-" Uther collapsed on his knees. "I just need to save my son."

"The price for this bargain is one that you both know too well," the Dragon said.

"A life for another. That is the balance that must be kept," Merlin said, almost at a whisper.

"If you wish to save him, you must enter the bargain now. If you wait any longer, his soul will have finished the passage to the world beyond, and will not be able to return."

* * *

Arthur awoke with a gasp. It was almost as if he had been drowning. His vision returned slowly, and as it focused, it revealed the image of Ygraine's front of him. He got up startled, and reached for his weapon, yet it was not there. It took him a second for his mind to register what was happening, and at the moment that he realized that it was his mother who stood in front of him, he stopped.

He embraced her tightly, amazed that she was really there. "How?" He asked, confused about what was happening. Had Morgause brought her back?

"Do you not remember my son?" she asked as she held him.

Arthur tried to think about what was the last thing he remembered, but it escaped him. He remembered being engaged, he remembered leaving on an excursion- That was when it hit him. The cold feeling of magic wrapping around his neck and killing him, the desperate moment of silence when he tried to stop it, but his voice couldn't cry out, the moment when he knew it was over and the world went to black, he remembered it all.

Ygraine tried to comfort him, but he had started shaking by now. "Am I…" he was almost afraid to ask the question.

"Not quite my son, but if things continue this way, you will be." Arthur pulled away from her, almost unsure of what to do.

"I have to leave. Camelot is in danger. Morgana-"

"Son, you can't leave. Not until a bargain is struck. A life for a life."

The memories the vision with Morgause suddenly returned to him. It was like his birth. A life for a life. His mother's life, for his, that was the trade that had been made by Nimueh and Uther.

Arthur went over to the window. This place looked exactly like his chambers at Camelot, except for the fact that there was not a soul outside. The only two people in this world were him and his mother.

Ygraine came up behind him and placed her arms around his shoulder. "It is up to Merlin, son," she said softly. "He has the magic necessary to make the bargain."

Arthur looked away from her. "You already died for me mother. No one else should have to."

He clenched his fist. "A king should die for his people. Not the other way around."

Ygraine grabbed his hand, and softly caressed it to calm him down. "Which is why you will make a great king, Arthur. You risked everything to defeat Morgana and Morgause. You put your life on the line for Camelot."

"But it wasn't enough," Arthur responded.

Arthur turned around to face her. "I'm so proud of you. I wish I could see you become the great king that I know you will be."

Arthur hugged her back. Arthur was suddenly feeling tired, as if a great sleep had fallen over him. Ygraine just held him, smiling, before leading him back to the bed.

"They have chosen," she said, almost regretfully. "I'm afraid it's time for you to go back my son." She said.

Arthur lay on the bed, as he felt himself slowly leave. His grip tightened on his mother's hand, and Ygraine squeezed back.

"I know you won't disappoint me my son. I love you."

Then his vision returned to darkness once again.

* * *

**There you go :D Not too long, but hopefully a good chapter :D**

Love

**~Pendragon Alchemist  
**


	13. The Bargain

**Hey Everybody!**

**So here's a brand new chapter in commemoration of one of my best friend's birthday :D I originally wrote this story for her so I dedicate this chapter on this very special day :) Also, to all of you who read this story, much love and enjoy :D  
**

* * *

The magic of the Earth itself was the most powerful magic of them all. Morgause's magic could never understand the power that the true magic held nor do her visions completely comprehend the true outcome of the prophecy that surrounded Arthur. Neither could Morgana's. Unfortunately, neither could Merlin, at least not yet. The great dragon knew this as he looked at the young warlock in front of him.

"How can I enter a bargain when the life that I chose to give is not the one that is actually taken?"

Merlin had already made this bargain once, and it had ended up costing him the lives of both Gaius and his mother, before he managed to kill Nimueh.

"It will be different, because this time, it will be you who is making the bargain young warlock. If you are the one reciting the magic, then it is you who will chose whose life is taking."

Merlin shut his eyes to think. He had been prepared to give his life for Arthur's before, but somehow, his previous experience with Nimueh stopped him from simply agreeing to the bargain. He feared that his friends would be hurt in the process, and that was already too painful.

"Hurry Emrys. If Arthur is to-"

"I KNOW!" Merlin screamed, both to the dragon and to himself. He needed to act now, and needed to erase all doubt in his heart that this would go awry.

Merlin moved to Arthur's side and kneeled next to the fallen Prince.

Lancelot moved Gwen away from Arthur's body, while the rest just watched in shock as the warlock made his choice.

He placed his hand over Arthur's chest.

"Look inside of your heart, and you will know the words you need to make the bargain." The dragon said softly.

Merlin closed his eyes. He needed to block out the image of his friends if he wanted to carry on with this.

He took in a deep breath.

Merlin began chanting.

"Stop." Uther said.

Merlin complied. He looked up, to see the King kneeling next to Arthur as well. He had his hand on his son's forehead, and was fighting back tears.

"Take my life."

The room was suddenly silenced.

"Sire, I-"

"Take my life!" he repeated, his voice cracking. There were tears flowing down his face. "I would do anything to save him," his voice was now a whisper. "He is my son."

Gaius placed his hand on Uther's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"The portal is closing Emrys." The dragon reminded him, yet Merlin didn't hear him.

He looked up. His eyes met Uther's. At that moment, Merlin understood. This was the grief of a father who had lost the two things he had held most dear to him in one night. How could he have known that? Morgana had betrayed him, tried to destroy Camelot and worst of all, kill Arthur. In the span of hours, his world had been destroyed.

"I order you!"

Merlin began chanting once again. Each word was a struggle coming out of his throat. He was fighting to make this spell. He would have traded his life instead. After all, if he did not do what Uther asked, what was the worst that could happen? The man couldn't kill him. He'd be already dead.

However, Merlin knew better. If tonight had proven anything, it was how much Arthur needed him if he was to rule Camelot. The dragon had repeated time and time again. They were two sides of the same coin. If Arthur was to achieve his destiny, Merlin would have to be alive.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold, and a light grew under his hand, before it disappeared entirely. Merlin looked up, and saw Uther. A smile curled in his lips, as he collapsed next to Arthur. That last look, Merlin knew was a thank you. Gaius' hand went to Uther's neck.

"No pulse." He said. "The King is dead."

Merlin checked Arthur's neck. He was still not breathing. His heart was not beating.

"I…it didn't…" Merlin could not believe what was happening, and tears begun to swell in his eyes. This was twice in one day that he had to deal with the fact that he did not save Arthur from death. "I don't understand."

"Young warlock, life and death are not simple concepts."

"You just wanted Uther dead! That is all you've ever cared about. Without Uther, who cares if Arthur lives? You'll be free to roam as you please-"

"Emrys these things take time," the dragon said.

At that moment, the hand that was still on Arthur's neck begun to feel a slight beat. It was weak, but it was there. A pulse. Life.

Slowly, he saw his chest rise and fall, and the color return to him. It had worked.

"Long live the King," the dragon responded, smiling.

Gaius moved to check on Arthur. His breathing was weak, but it was there, ever so softly, so peacefully.

"It will be some time until he awakens, but the King lives," the dragon repeated as he flapped his wings and took off into the sky, in celebration.

Merlin backed away, as the others came to see the new King, and felt weak. He had succeeded. With that, his vision turned black and collapsed onto the floor.

* * *

Arthur awoke in his chambers, and for a second, feared he would see Ygraine sitting above him. The skies were dark, and the only source of light came from the candles by his bed. He wondered how long he had been out. Hours? Days? Weeks?

Arthur sat up, almost confused as to what had just happened. Was it real? Had he really died?

Slowly, his left hand reached for his neck. The memory of how Morgause had suffocated him was still fresh in his mind. The panic as he couldn't breathe still lingered, and each breath he treasured. This wasn't that previous world, where he could not remember the specifics of what had happened. Here, he felt every second of the fight as though it had just occurred.

His body ached. His wrists were still bruised from where the shackles had kept him prisoner. His face was scratched from the fight and sporting a slight five o'clock shadow. This was definitely not the place where he had been before. The fight had been real. He had died.

Yet he was alone in his room; no guards, no one keeping vigil. He got up from the bed, and felt the pain run through his torso. He must have cracked a rib, for he was bandaged.

He walked over to the window and saw the extent of the destruction. However, what surprised him the most was the sea of lights that covered the courtyard.

Arthur looked as he saw row after row of candles, each held by a person. This was a sight he had only seen a few times before. The most recent, when Morgana had almost died, the citadel had held vigil for her speedy recovery.

Similarly, Merlin had told him of how Camelot had done the same when he had been bitten by the Questing Beast. Arthur sighed. He didn't deserve this. In a time like this, these people should have been taking care of their own wounds. Instead, they stood outside, praying for their Prince to recover.

That was when he remembered his mother's words. He would not be here without a bargain.

Suddenly, Arthur felt the pit that was his stomach. Merlin had chosen someone to die in order for him to be here.

Arthur cursed under his breath. It would happen that the idiot would trade his own life in attempt to be a hero. He needed to find out what had happened, except it was excruciating to move. His reaching that window had been a battle itself. If he walked out onto a castle that still had debris, he would never be able to reach anyone of consequence in time to see what had occurred without him collapsing before hand.

Arthur moved back to the bed. He sat down and placed his head on his hands. His breathing had become labored, and he tried to calm himself down.

The door creaked open.

Arthur turned around, and suddenly felt shocked. In front of him stood the person he least expected to see.

"So the prat has awakened." Merlin said with a smile.

Arthur looked at Merlin, almost in disbelief. Leave it to him to joke at a time like this. Yet it made no sense. If Merlin had survived then-

Gwen and Lancelot had been behind Merlin, and the moment they saw Arthur awake, they stood at the door, speechless. It was Lancelot the first one who kneeled, followed by Gwen.

Gwen looked at Merlin and grabbed his hand to pull him down, in what may have been the most awkward kneel in the history of kneeling.

At that moment, Arthur understood what had occurred. His throat twisted into a knot, and his eyes begun to water.

It was Lancelot who spoke, his voice so calm and deep. "Long Live Arthur, King of Camelot."

Merlin and Gwen replied, with the same phrase. Arthur felt like his heart was going to stop. His father had always told him. The day one becomes king is both the best and worst of your life. On one hand, the goal is achieved. On the other, a parent is lost.

Gwen stood, and ran to him, embracing him tightly in her arms. She knew he would come undone with that phrase, and that he would need her by his side. His tears soaked her shoulder, and she softly kissed his blond hair.

Lancelot motioned for Merlin that it was time for them to leave. Merlin saw the slight look of pain in Lancelot's eyes as he witnessed the couple. As much as the man denied it, his feelings for Gwen were still there. However, Lancelot knew his place, and now, he was proud to call Arthur his king.

They both turned and headed out the door, but Arthur interrupted before Merlin got to the exit.

"Merlin," Arthur said, his eyes meeting the warlock's.

"Yes, prat?" Merlin answered. Arthur gave him a quick smile. He had expected him to answer with something more regal, but 'prat' made perfect sense. Suddenly, he felt as if nothing had changed, and that was reassuring considering the news he had just received. For that second, he was just Arthur, nothing else.

"Thank you." He said. It was sincere, not the arrogant 'thank yous' he would so often say, but a heartfelt one.

Merlin simply nodded, before he turned to leave once again. He closed the door, leaving the King and his future Queen to some much deserved privacy.

* * *

**So, there you have it. As you can see, this story is almost done, and I really think there will only be an epilogue after this. Thank you to all those of you who have followed, even if you don't review (I know I've done that at times), however, if you do have the time, do leave a word. They always make my day :D**

**Love**

**~Pendragon Alchemist ~  
**


	14. The Epilogue  The Once and Future King

**Hey guys...so I'm a liar, or rather I underestimated the amount of stuff I would have to do this summer, so I apologize for not updating. 3  
**

* * *

"No!" Arthur screamed as he awoke. He was breathing heavily and a cold sweat ran down his forehead. He kept dreaming of that night. Three months had passed since the battle for Camelot, yet every night, the moment he closed his eyes, he saw it. He saw Morgana and Morgause attacking the castle, he saw the cave, he saw the dragon. Yet what pained him the most was that he saw his father.

His entire life had been devoted to training him for the moment he lost Uther, and now that it had actually happened, he was a wreck. To the world outside, it was business as usual. If there is one thing that a Prince is taught, it is to hide one's emotions from the world. However, he knew that the difference between his actual state of mind and how the world imagined him to be coping.

He had died. He had actually stopped breathing, and that scared him. Although Arthur knew damn well that this hadn't been the first time he had been close to death, there was a clear difference between being gravely ill and actually dying.

Arthur picked up his jacket and put it on. If he couldn't sleep, might as well walk.

The stone hallways echoed with each footsteps. Arthur wondered whether each King felt this way once they gained the throne, or if it simply was just him.

Arthur walked into the throne room. The chamber was illuminated by the soft moonlight, but nothing else. Closing the door behind him, Arthur walked down the carpet that lined the path to the throne, before he collapsed onto his knees.

He knew why his father had exchanged his life. This was the man who had for a year sent his army to search for his lost daughter. He may have been called cruel, a tyrant by many, but Arthur knew that the man had tried his hardest to be a good father to his two children, regardless of his mistakes. He would have sacrificed anything to protect him and Morgana, and somehow, it pained him that the woman whom he had loved more dearly than a sister, the girl that his father had raised and protected, had been the one to betray Camelot.

Without much thought, he lay his head in his hands, contemplating the future. The morning would come, and with that, his actual coronation ceremony. He had asked for it to be delayed until Camelot was stable. He couldn't celebrate until every citizen of the citadel had a safe roof over their heads, and even now, when the major repairs of the town were done, he still didn't feel ready.

Arthur closed his eyes and breathed in and out softly, almost in a prayer. God, he needed guidance. It was a wonder no one realized the state he was in.

"Sire?"

Arthur stiffened at the sound of someone's voice. His posture changed immediately, straightening back into the tall, confident man that Camelot knew. As he turned back, he saw Merlin standing at the door.

"What are you doing up?" Arthur asked, his voice cold, emotionless. "No wonder you always sleep on the job, if this is what you do at night-"

"I went to check on you, but I saw that you weren't in your chambers."

"Well, you found me," he said with a reminiscence of the old sarcastic tone that had once been so usual to their banter.

Merlin just looked at Arthur. He could see that this was not the same man who had run away the night of the masquerade. He looked past the smiles and formalities that blinded the rest of the court and its subjects and saw that Arthur wasn't well. There were dark circles under his eyes from his lack of sleep. His frame was leaner, since he had lost his appetite. This was a shell of the man Arthur had been, and Merlin knew it.

"Merlin, it is time we both retire, so unless you have something vital to ask..." Arthur said as he began to walk down the chamber, but was cut off as Merlin grabbed his arm.

"What's bothering you?" Merlin asked sincerely. "You haven't been yourself."

"I don't know what you are talking about-"

"Don't play dumb with me. I've been your servant for years Arthur. I know you, and this," Merlin paused, to gesture at Arthur, "this is not normal. You are not fine, so what is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, _Mer_lin."

"That tone says you are annoyed."

"At you."

"Why won't you talk to me about what is wrong?"

"I need to sleep for tomorrow."

"We both know that regardless of whether you go to bed or not you are not going to be able to sleep."

"Goodnight Merlin."

"You are such a prat!"

"I _said_ goodnight!"

"Fine! Leave! But I hope you know that we do care about you. Lancelot, Gwaine, and Leon, they want to help you, yet don't know how. You should see how Gwen worries about you. This isn't a burden you have to carry on your own-"

"Why do you care?" Arthur said, his voice, almost a whisper. He knew the answer, but somehow the question escaped his lips regardless.

"Because I'm your friend," Merlin said.

"I _died_. I literally died, Merlin, and somehow, I am expected to accept the fact that my father decided to end his life so that I could live? I am expected, as a king, to know that I got a second chance at life when I know for a fact that many of my people lost their lives that very night as well? This isn't fair."

Arthur collapsed on his knees. "They should be alive. If I hadn't left Camelot-"

"Is that what this is about?" Merlin said, kneeling next to his friend.

"I could have protected them, Merlin. Instead, I ran away like a coward. I am supposed to protect my people. Instead I turned my back on them."

Merlin placed his hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Gaius always told me that it is impossible for us to predict the absolute future. You couldn't have known what Morgana was planning, much less the sacrifice that it would take for you to become king."

"But-"

"No. Arthur, in the past three months, you have achieved so much as king. Camelot has prospered in the wake of a disaster. Who could have foreseen that? Uther knew you were destined to be a great king, and he knew that Camelot needed you more than you needed him."

Merlin stopped as he saw Arthur's eyes darken. Uther's death was still a hard subject to talk about.

"That day, all of us were ready to make a sacrifice."

"I know that. Gaius told me."

"He told you, but you haven't acknowledged it," Merlin said. "All the people in that room, from Gaius to...god, the Great Dragon, they all believed in the future that you would create-"

Merlin stopped. Arthur started to chuckle. For the first time, he noticed the changes that had been going on around him. He had been so worried in keeping the kingdom stable, that he had failed to see how those closest to him were going through the exact same thing.

"What?"

He looked at Merlin, and the warlock seemed just as exhausted as Arthur was. He wondered whether this ritual of checking up on him as he slept had become normal. He thought back to his interactions with Gaius, and realized how the older man had attempted to comfort him and make sure that he was in good health. He thought about his knights, who had taken over for him during practices and made sure that the army was ready for any attack.

Finally, his mind drifted back to Gwen. How she had always stood there, by his side, strong yet silent, knowing that the time wasn't right for them to push forward with their relationship, but always ready to support him when the time called.

They had been through as much as he had.

"I miss the days when you were a bumbling idiot," he replied, frankly.

"Well, I don't know what's worse. An arrogant prat or a whining one," Merlin answered back.

Arthur got up, sighing. Tomorrow promised to be a long day. Might as well try and get some sleep.

Arthur and Merlin walked together, somehow falling back to the playful banter that had filled their days when they were just a prince and a servant.

Yet, the king and the warlock knew better. This was the start of a new Camelot, and from now on, everything they did would be in order to fulfill their destinies, and create the greatest kingdom to ever rule over the Earth.

~The End~

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**So there you have it guys, the last chapter of this story. Hopefully you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. As always, reviews are always welcome 3 Otherwise thanks for sticking around and until next time, bye!**

**Love as Always**

**~Pendragon Alchemist~ **


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